Construction employment increased by 158,000 jobs in June, but employment related to infrastructure slipped, according to a newly released analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data. Association officials cautioned that additional infrastructure-building job losses are inevitable unless the federal government replenishes depleted state and local budgets for roads and other public works.   “The gain in construction employment in June was concentrated in homebuilding, with scattered increases in nonresidential building, while heavy and civil engineering construction employment—the category that includes many highway and other infrastructure workers—shrank by nearly 10,000 jobs,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief … Read more

Construction employment declined in 20 states and D.C. in March, aligning with the results of a recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America that found growing layoffs amid new project cancellations and state funding constraints. Association officials warned that these cancellations mean massive job losses are likely to occur soon in even more states unless Congress helps cover rapidly declining state revenues, adds funding for Paycheck Protection Program loans and takes other measures to help the industry recover. “While construction employment declined in many parts of the country last month, far more states, local governments and project owners … Read more