History
From the beginning, DCA has been about making the distribution contractor’s life better. When DCA was founded in 1961, the distribution landscape was dominated by utilities and unions, divided by an endless patchwork of local rules and petty fiefdoms, and beset by cutthroat competition on every side. A few Midwest contractors had finally had enough and began the long, arduous process of improving working conditions, standardizing rules and requirements, and building collective bargaining power. Partnering early on with the manufacturing and service companies they worked with every day, the newborn organization quickly laid the template for the next six decades of accomplishment (and counting).
1960's
Joined the National Safety Council; negotiated agreements with National Association of Welders, Operating Engineers, and Laborers’ International Union; worked with the United Association to administer the National Distribution Pipeline Agreement; transitioned to use of plastic pipe.
1970’s
Formed the Distribution Pipeline Committee to work with the federal government’s Office of Pipeline Safety; released a new employee safety manual for members; negotiated for new wage rates with the Laborer’s International Union; navigated the oil crisis; found new opportunities to increase production and productivity.
1980’s
Facilitated oil-to-gas conversions; renegotiated agreements with all three craft associations to lower wage rates and protect members from non-union competition; survived a recession by reducing costs; promoted natural gas as a clean fuel solution.
1990’s
Established joint labor management trusts with the UA and LIUNA; established the DCA Annual Auction to raise money for industry scholarships; began promoting trenchless construction and rehabilitation; developed and released a computer-aided new employee safety orientation program; inaugurated the DCA Safety Cogress and Safety awards; released the first DCA website; recognized that utilities were beginning to favor contractors over inhouse workforces—a long-held DCA goal.
2000’s
Developed a HDD good practices manual and training curriculum; elected the first female DCA president; unveiled the first DCA five-year strategic plan; worked to ensure the revised 2002 Pipeline Safety Act would contain language setting mandatory standards for verifying operator qualification; absorbed the assets of the Directional Crossing Contractors Association (DCCA) and established the Horizontal Directional Drilling (Trenchless) Committee; increased funding to scholarships; added signatory contractor wage and benefit pages to the website; addressed growing concerns about workforce development.
2010’s
Celebrated DCA’s 50th anniversary; expanded the safety awards; launched a redesigned website and an email newsletter to complement the new and improved DCA News; upgraded the association database; debuted the first DCA Professional Development Conference; initiated relationships with the Center for Generational Kinetics and SkillsUSA for workforce development and Wyman Associates for government relations and a new monthly publication DCA Insights; held DCA’s first job fair; created the Workforce Development Committee; released a position paper from DCA’s Cross Bore Initiative; participated in a damage prevention study by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA); published the first draft of its operator qualification (OQ) integrity document; raised $1 million at the DCA auction for the first time; unveiled the Take Action Playbook providing members with tools to tailor their offerings to the Millennial and Gen Z mindset; developed the Contractor Workshop with AGA and observed that other groups were beginning to approach DCA for its expertise and leadership and co-created an energy-themed television show “Six Degrees with Mike Rowe.”