US Construction jobs drop in 285 metro areas between June '09 and July '10

Thursday, 29 July 2010 01:08:36 (GMT+3)   |  
       

Construction employment declined in 285 out of 337 metropolitan areas between June 2009 and June 2010 according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The employment figures demonstrate how "weak overall demand for construction is outpacing the benefits of the stimulus' $135 billion in construction-related investments", association officials noted.

"The overall lack of demand for new construction is hurting more than the stimulus is helping at this point," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "While more metropolitan areas have started adding construction jobs, most are still experiencing losses nearly four years after the construction downturn began."

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville lost more construction jobs (21,300 jobs, 15 percent) than any other metro area, while Pascagoula, Mississippi (2,000 jobs, 32 percent) and Flagstaff, Arizona 700 jobs, 32 percent) lost the highest percentage. Other areas experiencing large declines in construction employment included Las Vegas (16,500 jobs, 26 percent); Houston (16,300 jobs, 9 percent); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale (15,900 jobs, 13 percent); and Seattle-Bellevue-Everett (12,400 jobs, 16 percent).

Simonson noted that 25 metro areas added construction jobs over the past 12 months, while another 27 areas experienced no change in construction employment. Calvert-Charles-Prince George's Counties in Maryland added more construction jobs (1,900, 5 percent) than any other metro area while Hanford-Corcoran, California added the highest percentage (22 percent, 200 jobs). Other areas adding jobs included Kansas City, Kansas (1,600 jobs, 8 percent); Columbus, Ohio (1,200 jobs, 4 percent); Chattanooga, Tennessee (900 jobs, 11 percent); and Eau Claire, Wisconsin (400 jobs, 13 percent).

The construction economist said the growing volume of stimulus-funded projects was helping save jobs throughout the construction industry. He added, however, that continued weak private, state and local demand for construction was taking a broader toll on construction employment. Worse, overall demand for construction is unlikely to recover until well after stimulus funding runs out.

"The industry's employment picture is only going to get worse unless Congress and the Administration act on long-overdue infrastructure investments programs," said Stephen Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer, referring to a series of recurring highway, transit, water and other investment programs Congress is months late in passing. "You have to ask how many more construction workers will lose their jobs once the stimulus runs out."

Similar articles

Canadian housing starts decline month-on-month, but hold steady in six-month average

08 Nov | Steel News

US construction spending up 8.4 percent year-on-year in March

05 May | Steel News

US home sales increase year-on-year in December

28 Jan | Steel News

Construction unemployment rate in US still falls despite weather-related hindrances

14 Jan | Steel News

November housing permits, starts and completions in the US rise year-on-year

19 Dec | Steel News

US construction unemployment falls to 8.6 percent in November

09 Dec | Steel News

Housing sales in the US increase in October

05 Dec | Steel News

US construction unemployment rate falls to five-year low

05 Aug | Steel News

US ABI score positive in June as new projects surge

25 Jul | Steel News

Construction employment boosts figures in US and Canada

10 Jun | Steel News