Despite a pickup in federal stimulus projects, construction's unemployment rate grew worse in September, rising to 17.1%, from 16.5% in August, as the industry lost another 64,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Construction's September jobless rate also was well above the year-earlier mark of 9.9%. Construction's rate remains the highest among U.S. industries. In its latest monthly report, issued Oct. 2, BLS noted that construction has shed a total of 1.5 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. Of September's 64,000 construction jobs lost, 39,000 were in the non-residential sector and 12,000 in heavy construction, BLS
Emerging job markets and sustainability are two key areas of business St. Louis, Mo.'s Sheet Metal Workers' Local 36 has focused on in recent years to help create and keep up with growth in the sheet-metal and HVAC industries. Local 36 will soon be making those key areas priorities as it unveils plans for a new $15-million green facility. Local 36 has announced approval from its members to move forward with the purchase and renovation of the former Missouri Boiler building on the northeast corner of Jefferson and Choteau avenues in downtown St. Louis to develop a new state-of-the-art, 96,023-sq-ft
The AFL-CIO convention in Pittsburgh this month was the backdrop for the latest salvo between the federation’s Building and Construction Trades Dept. and its long-missing member, the carpenters’ union, over recruiting practices in a recession-impacted marketplace. The AFL-CIO on Sept. 16 passed a resolution urging the carpenters’ union to reaffiliate but also authorizing member unions to compete with it in organizing carpenters in certain markets. Resolution 70, passed unanimously, urges the 500,000-member United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners to end its “go-it-alone policy” and realign with both the AFL-CIO and BCTD, which represents 13 construction craft unions. The carpenters left
Teaching engineering in K-12 grades would not only boost interest in the profession and in technical careers in general, but would also improve all students’ problem-solving, systems-thinking and teamwork skills, says the National Academy of Engineering in a Sept. 8 report. Even so, very few U.S. schools now include the discipline or have enough trained faculty to teach it. Says NAE: “Engineering might be called the missing letter in STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] education.” Slide Show Students in Wisconsin engineering instruction high school class design and build a racing car prototype. Sun Prairie, Wis., high school engineering class;
Construction wages and benefits have taken a sharp downturn this year as companies have seen job opportunities dry up nationwide. After nearly a decade of steady increases, compensation has flattened on average as many employers have frozen or decreased wages. Analysts hold a mixed view on the trend, noting the situation isn’t alarming today, but could worsen in the future. While the recession has eased cost-of-living pressures on wages, the health-care debate is raising concerns that employers may face considerable financial hurdles further out. Photo: Tudor Van Hamptom / ENR Union, nonunion labor costs are going flat but professional and
At its annual convention Sept. 16 in Pittsburgh, the AFL-CIO has passed a resolution that urges the carpenters' union to re-affiliate with the organized labor umbrella organization and also sets in motion a process to allow member building trades unions to compete with it in recruiting unaffiliated workers. The carpenters' left the AFL-CIO fold in 2005. Resolution 70, passed unanimously, urges the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, with more than 500,000 members, to end its "go it alone policy," which the document termed "inconsistent with the principles of solidarity" and a "detriment" to union construction. The resolution also urges
The stimulus is putting construction workers on the jobsite in significant numbers, according to a White House study. The flow of federal economic-stimulus funds has produced or saved about 1 million jobs, including an estimated 133,000 in the construction industry, the White House Council of Economic Advisers says in a report on the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The figures are estimates, CEA notes, and are not an actual count of jobs reported by state agencies or companies that have received the stimulus funds. Related Links: Stimulus Project Report: Job Rollout is Uneven Construction Jobs Trickle Back
Construction’s unemployment rate fell in August to its lowest level in eight months, but the rate remains much worse than it was a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Sept. 4. Economists say the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appears to be saving some jobs, at least in the highway sector, but they also say the industry is still hurting. + Image SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although construction’s 16.5% August jobless rate was better than July’s 18.2%, it remained more than double the August 2008 mark of 8.2%. Rates are not seasonally adjusted. Construction’s jobless
Construction's unemployment rate declined in August to 16.5%-- the industry's lowest jobless rate in eight months--the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Construction's August rate was an improvement over the 18.2% reported for July, but it was more than double the August 2008 rate of 8.2%. Related Links: Read the full BLS release The industry rates are not adjusted for seasonal variations. BLS's latest monthly employment report, released Sept. 4, also showed construction continued to lose jobs, dropping 65,000 in August, seasonally adjusted. That's an improvement over the 76,000 jobs shed in July, but is far from anything approaching an increase
Having employees climb three of New England’s highest mountains in 24 hours may not be how most construction industry firms hone team-building and leadership skills, but a London-based industry software provider is sponsoring just such an event next month. Organizers hope the “three peaks challenge” on Sept. 19-20 will replicate the success of a similar program in the U.K., that, since 2002, has raised a total of $3 million for global charities, not to mention the profile of its sponsor, Construction Industry Solutions Ltd. (COINS). Photo: COINS U.K. construction team celebrates after grueling 24-hour challenge. Photo: COINS Industry firms scale
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