An overview: Your blueprint to success
IEC National
If you attended the 54th Annual IEC National Convention & Electric Expo, we thank you for your support and involvement. If you couldn't make it this year, then we hope to see you next year in Fort Worth, Texas! Whether you were at the convention, or just there in spirit, here's a short re-cap of the highlights from the 54th Annual IEC National Convention & Electric Expo, sponsored by The Home Depot.More

IEC members appointed to 2014 NEC® code making panels
IEC National
Prior to every National Electrical Code® (NEC) cycle, the IEC Codes and Standards Committee prepares by ensuring IEC has representatives on all 19 NEC® panels. IEC members are some of the most knowledge individuals in the electrical industry and they're expertise is a valuable resource.More

5th Edition Jobsite Safety Handbooks now available
IEC National
IEC received the fifth edition of the IEC Jobsite Safety Handbook. The handbook is pocket-sized and written for workers to help keep them safe while on the jobsite. The handbook contains over 90 pages dealing with safety regulations and best practices. The handbook contains tips on 34 safety issues from OSHA inspections, falls, ladders, electrical safety, confined spaces, Arc Flash/arc blast protection and more. The handbook is written in English with Spanish translations to assist supervisors trying to convey safety messages to their workers.More

House panel approves bill to roll back union election rule
The Hill
"The legislation ensures that everyone can participate in a fair election process," Kline said. Democrats said the committee was not focused on creating jobs and is instead going after union rights.More

View: California unions must pitch in to help control expenses
Bloomberg
Governor Jerry Brown proposed sweeping changes to state pensions last week in an effort to pull California out of a fiscal tailspin. If he can muster the political support necessary to wring concessions from the state's public unions, California could reclaim its stature as a model, rather than a warning, to other states.More

Public support for solar power is nearly universal in US
Solar Industry
U.S. residents overwhelmingly support the use of solar energy and federal investments for solar, according to the 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer, a nationally representative survey conducted annually by independent polling firm Kelton Research.More

Some homeowners worry installing new 'smart meters'
could spark fires
WPTV-TV
Right now contractors are installing millions of smart meters on homes across South Florida. By the end of 2013, every home powered by Florida Power and Light will have one. They're new digital devices to determine how much energy you're using at home and they allow customers to check their daily energy usage online.More

Construction spending ticks up in September but is down $10 billion for the year
ForConstructionPros.com
Construction spending increased by 0.2 percent between August and September but was down 1.3 percent compared to September 2010, the Associated General Contractors of America reported in an analysis of new Census Bureau data. Association officials noted that growing declines in public sector activity continue to offset modest increases in private sector demand for construction.More