More states lost construction jobs in May than at any point since June 2011 as 30 states experienced annual job losses and 27 states and D.C. lost jobs during the past month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
More states lost construction jobs in May than at any point since June 2011 as 30 states experienced annual job losses and 27 states and D.C. lost jobs during the past month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data.
The weak state construction employment figures come as public investments in construction decline and the federal transportation program is at risk of shutting down on June 30.
“As the public sector continues to restrain growth in construction demand, we will continue to see weak reports like this,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “There isn’t enough demand for private sector structures to compensate for dwindling investments in highways, bridges, water systems and public buildings.”
Simonson noted only 19 states plus the District of Columbia added construction jobs between May 2011 and May 2012. Twenty-one states added construction jobs between April and May 2012.
Association officials warned that construction employment was likely to get worse if Congress continues to cut investments in public infrastructure and buildings. They added that a failure to enact new federal transportation legislation before a June 30 deadline could result in tens of thousands of construction layoffs around the country.
“While the economy will have to get a lot better before we see big gains in construction employment, public cuts are not helping the situation,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Passing a highway and transit bill, in particular, would give a needed boost to construction employment.
DCN NEWS SERVICES
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