D'yer wanna be in my gang?

One of the ideas being discussed behind the scenes and in a number of other forums is the possibility and potential for creating a professional association for paving contractors. While many of the better contractors would welcome such an organisation to promote their values and speak for the whole installation industry, it's going to take a deal of organising to get block layers, flaggers, concreters, blacktoppers, streetmasons and general landscapers, to commit to support such an organisation.

I like the idea of using the event to initiate a discussion on the feasibility of such an organisation. Perhaps we can arrange an hour or so during the event to hold an open discussion forum to gauge support and to get a real sense of what contractors want. Those of us that post to message boards are a very small and select part of the wider trade. We need to overcome the traditional apathy amongst contractors and get those that don't post messages to the Brew Cabin and elsewhere, or don't use t'internet to further their business, to air their views in a free-for-all talking shop. Only then will we have a better idea of just what level of support there is for such a group.