By Stephanie Corken, August 1, 2026
August covers chapter meetings, open July EPR reports (August payments due Friday the 14th), and upcoming events including the September golf tournament, Dave O'Brien's Accounting Essentials class, and NECA 2026 in Vegas. Members should also note the fringe benefit bonding requirement in Local 280 and 659, plus features on the new NECA Portal, heat safety, underground work, SMRs, and AI’s skilled trades training.
Let’s get into it!
📚 Chapter Meetings, Education Courses, & Safety Classes
🤝280 LMCC | Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 1-2 p.m. | Central Electrical Training Center
🦺659 Safety | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Crater Lake Electrical Training Center
🤝659 LMCC | Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 12-1 p.m. | Crater Lake Electrical Training Center
🦺280 Safety | Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 4-5 p.m. | Central Electrical Training Center
LOCAL IN-PERSON EVENTS & TRAINING:
⛳ 4th Annual Golf Tournament, Emerald Valley | September 11th, 2026
Sept 14th, 2026: Cascade 280 Division
Sept 15th, 2026: Sunset 932 Division
NEW DATE Sept 16th, 2026: Crater Lake 659 Division
🎉 December 4-5, 2026 | Salishan Winter Meeting with John Stone and Josh Rizzo
NATIONAL IN-PERSON EVENTS & TRAINING:
🏢 NECA 2026 Convention and Trade Show – Las Vegas, NV | Oct 4-7, 2026
🦺 NECA Safety Professionals Institute | Oct. 20-22 | Washington, DC’
🤝 2026 Labor Relations Conference | Nov. 2-4 | Phoenix, AZ
🦺 Executive Management Institute | Nov. 17-21 | Washington, DC
WEBINARS & VIRTUAL LEARNING:
🎓 Worker’s Compensation Insurance SAIF | Webinars and Classroom Trainings available year-round:
Getting to know the Return-to-Work program at SAIF | Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 10-11:30 a.m.
HR Answers: The employee Exit Experience | Tuesday, August 18, 2026, 10-11:30 a.m.
🤖 Seven Points of Clarity Series: Data Models Demystified - Beyond the LLM Hype | Thursday, August 6, 2026 | 3PM ET
🤖 Understanding Construction Accounting Virtual Classroom | Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
📐 Basic Estimating of Electrical Construction | Sept. 14-24 | 10:00 - 12:00 p.m. ET
🧮 Advanced Estimating Strategies | Sept. 14-17 | 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. ET
July Reports Are Open in EPRLive
July payroll reports are now open in EPRLive.
⚠️ Important Update: The Local 280 Residential Agreement mid-year increase of $1.00 total ($0.95 wage, $0.03 NEBF, $0.02 A&T) takes effect July 1, 2026, and should be used in EPR reporting for July–December 2026 work months when the system opens August 1.
Benefit payments must be received before the 10th and are considered late after the 15th. If the 15th falls on a weekend or bank holiday, payments are due the Friday before.
⚠️ Because August 15, 2026, falls on a Saturday, payments must be received by Friday, August 14, 2026.
There are no exceptions or grace periods due to NEBF policies and IRS regulations related to 401(k) contributions. Failure to meet the 15th deadline may result in liquidated damages and interest. Payments are processed by date received, not postmarked date.
If you are unable to make your payment, you must still file all payroll reports in EPRLive by the 15th. Zero-hour reports are required even if no work was performed.
ACH payments through EPRLive remain the preferred method to avoid mailing delays. Instructions for setting up electronic payments are linked here.
📅 EPRLive Training: Need help navigating EPRLive? Free training sessions are held the first Thursday of each month. The next session is Thursday, August 6th, 2026 at 9:00 AM PST.
Join via Zoom HERE. Meeting ID: 826 4816 3255 | Passcode: 172870
⚠️ NEW: Bonding Requirement for Local 280 and Local 659 Jurisdictions
A separate notice went out recently about upcoming bonding requirements for contractors with repeat delinquencies in the Local 280 and Local 659 jurisdictions. This takes effect with reports for work performed starting in July 2026. If you missed that notice, please review it now and make sure your payroll team or third-party provider is aware.
If you have any questions, reach out to Melinda.
First Time in Chapter History We're Sending Four Apprentices to NECA 2026!
For the first time in chapter history, ORPAC NECA is sponsoring four apprentices to attend the NECA 2026 Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, October 4–7. Each member contractor can nominate one apprentice from their shop, and four names will be drawn by lottery:
2 from IBEW Local 280
1 from IBEW Local 932
1 from IBEW Local 659
Winners attend the full convention, including general sessions, the trade show floor, and the event built just for them: Apprentice Appreciation Day on Monday, October 5.
The day kicks off with a morning program featuring keynote speaker Nic Bittle and industry leaders including Todd Stafford of the electrical training ALLIANCE. Lunch is on the house. Then apprentices hit the show floor for the afternoon Apprentice Challenge, the NEC Escape Room (back by popular demand), and the Outside Line Apprentice Challenge in High Voltage Village, with hands-on Transformer Connection and Hot Sticking stations.
They'll also get the Opening Reception at T-Mobile Arena, 400+ manufacturers on the show floor, and the 125th anniversary Closing Celebration at Mandalay Bay Beach headlined by +LIVE+ and O.A.R.
For an apprentice, this is a career moment. For contractors, it's an investment that pays back. Apprentices return sharper, more connected, and more invested in the trade.
Nominate your apprentice by Monday, August 10th HERE.
Contact Stephanie with questions.
⛳ ORPAC NECA Golf Tournament, September 11
Our 4th annual golf tournament is back at Emerald Valley Golf & Resort on Friday, September 11, 2026. Last year, the chapter raised over $25,000 for the Oregon Cancer Foundation in memory of Ron Harvell, and we're aiming higher this year.
How to get in on it:
Play. Reach out to your accredited rep about joining their team, or let us know and we'll connect you.
Donate. Can't make it? Every donated dollar we raise keeps a trained Oregon counselor on the line for someone in our industry who needs it.
Spread the word. Tell a rep, a colleague, or a contractor friend who should be there.
Register or donate HERE.
Questions? Reach out!
Sharpen Your Financial IQ: A Class Built for NECA Contractors
Do your financial statements tell you what you actually need to know, or leave you guessing?
This September, we’re bringing industry instructor Dave O'Brien to all three divisions for a one-day Accounting Essentials Class built specifically for electrical contractors. Whether you're an owner, PM, controller, or bookkeeper, you'll walk away with a stronger working knowledge of the numbers behind your business.
Why It Matters
Most electrical contractors didn't get into this trade to chase spreadsheets. But cash flow leaks, misapplied markups, and unclear financial statements quietly cost companies real money every year. This class breaks down the fundamentals in plain language contractors can use, not accountant-speak.
What You'll Cover
Key Principles of Accounting: What to expect and demand from your system and staff
Construction Accounting Essentials: Revenue recognition, contract costs, and percentage of completion
Financial Statements Made Clear: How your balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow connect
Working Capital: How to measure it, grow it, and protect it
Margin vs. Markup: The difference that quietly costs contractors real money
Why Service Billing Takes So Long: Common cash flow leaks and how to fix them
Pick the Date and Location That Works for Your Team
📅 Cascade Division (Local 280) | Monday, September 14, 2026📍 Central Electrical Training Center⏰ 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📅 Sunset Division (Local 932) | Tuesday, September 15, 2026📍 Driftwood Shores⏰ 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📅 Crater Lake Division (Local 659) | Wednesday, September 16, 2026📍 Crater Lake Electrical Training Center⏰ 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Bring your team. Better financial visibility leads to better bids, better jobs, and better decisions all year long.
Stronger Leaders, Stronger Crews: Josh Rizzo Joins Us at Salishan
The best leaders on your jobsite are not always the loudest. They are the ones who know themselves, hold their crew together under pressure, and keep showing up for their people at home and at work.
That is the kind of leadership Josh Rizzo teaches, and he is joining us for the daytime class at the Salishan Winter Event on December 5, 2026.
Josh brings a story contractors will relate to. He is a West Point graduate and Bronze Star recipient who led troops in Iraq, and he spent years inside the construction industry with WernerCo, earning two Under 40 awards from ENR and CSE. He also co-founded the mental health nonprofit PTSD United, and was named a 2025 Top 25 Newsmaker by ENR.
His session will cover:
Human-centered leadership that holds up under jobsite pressure
Looking inward before managing outward
Building trust and mental health awareness across your teams
Keeping family, crew, and self grounded in a demanding industry
If you lead people, in the field or in the office, this one is worth the trip to the coast.
Salishan Winter Event
December 5, 2026 at Salishan Coastal Lodge
Daytime class, evening celebration, and a separate program for kids
Registration details coming soon.
Make Time to Connect in 2026
One of the biggest advantages of being part of NECA is the chance to step away from the day-to-day and connect with contractors who understand the work.
We’ve got strong events lined up this year, each designed to help you recharge and build relationships across the chapter.
🚤 Hellgate Jetboat Excursion & DinnerAugust 15, 2026 | Grants PassA high-energy jetboat ride through Hellgate Canyon, followed by dinner and time with fellow contractors. Contact Stephanie to be added to the waitlist.
⛳4th Annual Golf TournamentSeptember 11, 2026, 8:30AM Shotgun Start | Emerald Valley, CreswellJoin us for a day on the course with great golf, good company, and a little friendly competition. Register and/or donate HERE.
❄ Winter Holiday Meeting – Salishan Coastal LodgeDecember 4-5, 2026 | SalishanA chance to wrap up the year with great food, live music, and time with your peers and families.
These events are built by contractors, for contractors. They are some of the best opportunities all year to stay connected.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Beginning this Month: Bonding Requirement for Delinquent Contractors
We want to make sure you're aware of an upcoming change regarding fringe benefit bonding requirements in these jurisdictions.
What's changing:
Beginning with reports for work performed in July 2026, the fiduciaries of the Local 280 and Local 659 fringe benefit funds will require a bond or other satisfactory security from any contractor that is delinquent in filing or funding fringe benefit reports for two or more months in any consecutive 12-month period.
What the bond looks like:
• Posted by a reputable insurer or other issuer of Oregon bonds
• Amount equal to the greater of $5,000 or twice your expected monthly fringe benefit payment to the Local 280 and Local 659 funds
• Maintained continuously for three years, extended by an additional three years if any new delinquency occurs during that period
Important timing note:
To allow time for this notice to reach everyone, only delinquencies on reports for work performed in July 2026 or later will count toward triggering the requirement.
What this does not affect:
This requirement currently applies only to contractors with repeat delinquencies, not newly signatory contractors. It also applies only in the Local 280 and Local 659 jurisdictions. Local 48 continues to maintain its existing bond requirement. The Local 932 fiduciaries have not elected to enforce their bond provision at this time.
Background:
The bonding provisions have existed in Section VI.3 of Local 280's Inside Agreement and Section 6.10 of Local 659's Inside Agreement for many years. The fiduciaries have decided to begin enforcing them in response to recurring delinquencies that have placed a growing burden on the funds.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to our office with any questions.
NECA 2026 Registration, Chapter Dinner, and Happy Hour!
Heading to Vegas this October?
Registration is now open for the NECA 2026 Convention and Trade Show, October 4-7 in Las Vegas. Here is what our chapter needs to know.
Save the Date: Chapter Dinner
Join your Oregon Pacific-Cascade peers for an evening at The Left Bank, an elevated extension of the main dining room at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip and the Bellagio Fountains.
When: Monday, October 5th, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Where: The Left Bank Room, Eiffel Tower Restaurant
Register for dinner HERE.
Save the Date: District 6 Happy Hour
Open to all D6 Contractors! Come unwind with contractors and industry partners from across the district over passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks.
When: Tuesday, October 6th, 4 PM to 6 PM
Where: Chandelier Bar, The Cosmopolitan
Our Chapter Hotel: Mandalay Bay - WAITLIST
Our chapter has been assigned to Mandalay Bay. A few things to know:
Book NOW to get added to the waitlist, and let Stephanie know. Other hotels available.
Guests must be 21 or older to check in
Reservation deadline: 5:00 PM Pacific, Wednesday
Questions? Reach out anytime. We are hoping for a strong showing from our chapter in Las Vegas!
New: Your Members-Only Portal from NECA National
The new NECA Member Portal brings directories, toolkits, training, partner benefits, and more together into a single members-only hub.
Here's some of what you'll find:
New workforce recruitment toolkits, including the MOU Contractor Guide, Multi-Employer Toolkit, and Single-Employer Toolkit for structured hiring events that move candidates from introduction to conditional offer in a single day
Labor relations resources, like the NECA Wages & Agreements Database and the Pattern Agreement Guide
NECA Learning Center for training, professional development, and education programs
Member discounts via the Value-Added Services Program
Directories and networking, including the National Staff Directory and NECA Network
Quick links to manage your profile, look up members, and update your newsletter preferences
Explore Portal HERE.
New ELECTRI Roadmap: What SMRs Mean for Electrical Contractors
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are moving from concept toward construction, and ELECTRI International's new report lays out where electrical contractors fit in and what to do now to be ready.
Small Modular Reactors: A Roadmap for Electrical Contractors covers where the market is headed, the electrical scopes involved, and the preparation steps that will separate contractors who capture the work from those who watch it pass by.
Electrical scopes in play:
Power distribution
Instrumentation and controls
Cybersecurity
Digital integration
Nuclear-grade quality and commissioning
The research draws from SMR technology reviews, deployment pathways, regulatory and licensing frameworks, and workforce needs, with input from electrical contractors and SMR-adjacent stakeholders.
Bottom line: SMR work rewards contractors who understand the licensing, quality, and workforce demands before the first bid drops. Even if it's not on your radar today, it's worth knowing what's coming.
Download the full report HERE.
**Don’t forget: ELECTRI’s next Service & 70Brew Webinar on Understanding the Maintenance Cycle happens on August 18th at 12 PM PST. Zoom Instructions HERE.
New Laws Go into Effect from Short Legislative Session - Update from Mark Long at Pac/West Lobby Group
In February and March this year, the Oregon Legislature met to adopt new laws and re-balance the state’s biennial budget adopted in July 2025. For the construction industry, the most significant legislative action was “no action” taken on transportation funding, nor was there significant investment in new construction bonding.
Primarily due to election-year politics, the focus in Salem centered on national issues and setting up for the November midterm. Democrats hold supermajorities in both legislative chambers, allowing new taxes and fees to be adopted without Republican support. In the Senate, changes in the May primary could move the chamber further left and there is a real risk that voters will provide Senate Democrats with two more seats. That would mean Democrats could conduct business without a single Republican in attendance. On the one hand, this super-supermajority (or quorum-proof majority) could make it easier for legislation to pass. But on the other hand, it could create unrealistic expectations for what can and should be adopted.
Generally, new laws adopted in any one year will go into effect the following January. However, many bills adopted in the most recent short session were deemed a priority for early enactment and went into effect in July. These bills don’t impact the construction industry directly, but they do show the priorities of legislative leaders earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the governor is trying to pivot toward addressing Oregon’s anemic economy and real challenges down the road with healthcare, jobs, workforce, housing, education, and transportation. Her Prosperity Council report was just released and can be found here.
The stakes are high for Oregon in that any turnaround in the economy will take bipartisan support (unless there are quorum-proof majorities provided by the voters). Below is an overview of bills passed in March that went into effect in July. We will see what November brings, whether the Governor’s race can shift the focus back to core economic and livability issues, and whether the voters want balance.
· Senate Bill 1518 – Requires domestic and homecare workers to earn at least minimum wage, responding to changes in overtime and employee status changes made by federal BOLI.
· Senate Bill 1570 – Defends hospitals as places for healing and requires hospitals to define boundaries between areas open to the public, including law enforcement, in an effort to protect undocumented citizens seeking healthcare.
· Senate Bill 1587 – Prevents state agencies from turning over information on Oregonians to data brokers if those brokers sell data to immigration enforcement agencies.
· House Bill 4013 – Keeps modern safeguards for minors in the workforce, even if the federal government moves backward on child labor protections.
· House Bill 4111 – Bars employers from retaliating against workers who update their work authorizations, limits the use of immigration status in civil court cases if it is irrelevant to the case, and adds immigration status to Oregon’s anti-profiling law
· House Bill 4123 – Prohibits landlords from disclosing immigration status and other personal information
· Senate Bill 1523 – Lets tenants pay rent using whatever reasonable method they choose, not just online portals that can take your data and trigger huge fees.
· Senate Bill 1551 – Preempts HOAs from setting standards that conflict with a homeowner’s desire to establish a defensible wildfire space around their home.
· Senate Bill 1567 – Establishes low-interest loans for mixed-income housing production.
· Senate Bill 1576 – Requires that state-subsidized housing developments meet new single-family dwelling accessibility standards.
· House Bill 4024 – Prohibits speculative ticket sales — vendors offering or reselling tickets they don’t have — and strengthens protections against misleading websites that offer tickets.
· House Bill 4082 – Allows cities to widen their urban growth boundaries when the included land is for older-adult housing, manufactured or prefabricated structures, and manufactured home parks.
· House Bill 4116 – Closes loopholes that had allowed lenders of consumer loans to charge interest amounting to 100% or more.
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Heat Season Reminder: Oregon OSHA Rules Still Apply
Federal OSHA renewed its National Emphasis Program on heat hazards this April, expanding inspection focus for the next five years. But for Oregon contractors, the rules that matter most are already on the books. Oregon OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention standard (OAR 437-002-0156) has been in effect since June 2022 and applies to construction work whenever the heat index hits 80°F, indoors or outdoors.
At 80°F heat index, you must provide:
Enough shade to accommodate employees on rest and meal breaks
Cool drinking water, up to 32 ounces per employee per hour, at no cost
A written Heat Illness Prevention Plan, Acclimatization Plan, and Emergency Medical Plan
Annual documented training for all employees, including supervisors, before high heat exposure
Effective emergency communication
At 90°F heat index, high heat practices kick in:
Rest breaks of at least 10 minutes every two hours (more at higher temps)
Active monitoring of employees for signs of heat illness
A written work/rest schedule using one of three approved options
Flagger work counts as at least "moderate" intensity. Attic work almost always triggers the rule. Piece rate employees must still take the required rest breaks. Training records must include employee names, training dates, and the trainer's name.
Oregon OSHA's full FAQ document (440-5866) is worth keeping on hand. If you need help pulling together a compliant plan or training documentation, reach out to the chapter office.
Our Next Apprentice Class Is Already Sitting in Classrooms
Every NECA member eventually asks the same question about workforce, and a recent EC&M piece put it plainly: the next generation of electricians isn't missing from our schools, they just haven't been shown what the work looks like. Thousands of capable students move through the system every year without ever meeting an electrician or setting foot on a real jobsite.
For signatory contractors, that reality has a clear implication. Our pipeline runs through CETC JATE, CLETC JATC, and the Pacific Inside Electrical JATC, and every apprentice we onboard was once a kid who first had to picture themselves in this trade.
Practical ways to help fill the pipeline:
Attend or sponsor a local career fair through your JATC
Host a jobsite tour or classroom visit when a school reaches out
Point interested students, parents, and counselors to your local JATC's apply page
Talk about your own path at community events, because most students have never met an electrician
The apprentice class of 2030 is already in middle school, and someone is going to introduce them to a career path. When that person is a NECA contractor or an IBEW journeyman, the whole industry wins.
Read the full article at EC&M HERE.
Underground Work: The Highest-Injury Job in the Industry
Underground electrical work has the highest injury rate in construction, and nearly every recorded incident over the past decade was preventable. As crews move into a busy summer of vault and manhole work, a few reminders worth passing along:
Every underground space is a confined space. A permit is required, and every line on it needs to be complete and supported. An atmosphere marked "safe" with no gas reading behind it is not ready.
Know both hazards. Gas readings protect you from one, shoring and extraction gear from the other. Vaults and manholes rarely collapse, but you may still need extraction gear if a rescuer cannot fit in beside you.
Water and energized conductors kill. If there is standing water and any chance of insulation damage, address it before entry.
Use a ladder. OSHA does not allow cabling or raceway as a climbing means.
Your attendant has one job. Watching you, extracting you, calling for help. No side tasks. Confirm it before you go in.
Read the gas. On entry, at the work location, and periodically after. If your meter takes a hit, flag it.
Trust the fog. If your head feels off, exit. If a coworker seems off, tell them to exit. If anyone orders you out, you go. Disagreements get settled at the surface.
Verify everything yourself. Do not let someone else fill out your permit, and do not take "it's fine down there" as confirmation.
Federal requirements are in 29 CFR 1926.965 and Subpart AA (1926.1201–1213). Oregon OSHA adopts these standards for work performed in-state.
Read the full article at EC&M HERE, and stay sharp out there.
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