Author: agcnews
AGC of America is now accepting speaking proposals for the Construction Safety & Health Conference taking place January 22-24, 2025, in Jacksonville, FL. This event is designed for emerging to senior-level management professionals who work in any of the commercial construction markets. All educational sessions should be targeted towards these attendees and should involve topics that reflect current and emerging issues in construction safety and health. We invite you to share your knowledge and help us shape the 2025 experience. For more information and to submit a proposal, please refer to our event guidelines. Proposals are due on Saturday, August 31, 2024. Please contact Nazia Shah for…
The construction sector added 27,000 jobs in June while its unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent, its lowest rate for the month, and pay levels in the industry continued to rise, according to an analysis of new government data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials said construction firms are boosting pay and taking other steps to recruit workers amid tight labor conditions. “Construction employment strengthened in June, with all segments adding workers despite recent weakness in demand for residential and commercial buildings,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Finding enough qualified workers remains a greater challenge for…
On July 2, OSHA published their proposed standard addressing heat illness in outdoor and indoor settings. The proposal codifies many of the heat safety practices the construction industry already uses to protect workers. Those measures, which broadly fall into the categories of water, rest, shade, and training, were crafted by contractors as part of their general duty obligations to protect workers from hazards associated with high temperatures. However, OSHA has not addressed the disparate impacts of heat in various parts of the country. The impacts on worker safety of a 90°F day in Mississippi are different than a 90°F day in Alaska. The final…
In a significant U.S. Supreme Court decision issued June 28, the Court reversed a 40-year-old legal precedent that required judges to accept federal agencies’ reasonable interpretations of ambiguous or silent statutes, rather than apply the court’s own interpretation. In throwing out the so-called Chevron “deference doctrine,” the Supreme Court has changed how courts will handle lawsuits involving challenges to agencies’ interpretations of statutes they administer when specific agency actions are tested through litigation. The effect will rein in federal agencies’ power and leeway to fill in the blanks dictating their authority to write detailed regulations implementing legislative statutes. From now on, courts…
Construction employment increased in 225, or 63 percent, of 358 metro areas between May 2023 and May 2024, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that employment levels in some parts of the country have been impacted by changing demand for construction and ongoing labor shortages. “A pullback in starts by developers of apartments, warehouses, and offices, along with spotty improvement in single-family starts, has held down job gains in some metros,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But surging demand for data centers, manufacturing and power projects, and infrastructure…
This new education experience will feature keynote speakers focusing on the intersection of HR and workforce development in the construction industry. The event will also feature networking opportunities, as well as optional workforce excursions and HR workshops. If you’ve attended an HRTED Conference or Workforce Summit in the past, this event was designed with you in mind. And if you care about human resources and the need to develop the next generation of workers, this is definitely the event for you. AGC Members: Don’t miss your chance to save on the premier construction HR, workforce & training conference of 2024! Sign…
Construction spending declined by 0.1 percent between April and May to a seasonally adjusted rate of $2.139 trillion, amid declines in demand for a range of nonresidential and residential construction projects. However, construction spending levels are up 6.4 percent compared to May 2023, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America released today of new federal data. Association officials noted that public construction demand was up 0.5 percent for the month, helping offset declines in other types of activity. “The Census Bureau today responded to requests by the association and others to show data centers separately from the overall…
AGC and Progressive Policy Institute released the report during an event at the U.S. Capitol complex that featured comments from congressional officials, the report’s authors, a construction general contractor and a community college administrator. The panelists talked about the challenges posed by the current federal funding levels and urged policy makers to help. The report, titled Building a Stronger Workforce: Federal Spending on Postsecondary Education and Training, notes that of the $139.5 billion the federal government spends annually on postsecondary education, only $28.2 billion goes to workforce education and training programs. The other $111.3 billion supports “traditional” degree programs that only…
Stay informed with our mid-year economic insights from Chief Economist, Ken Simonson and Senior Research Analyst, Macrina Wilkins. Discover key trends in economic growth, spending, inflation, and interest rates. Learn about the continued demand in construction for data centers, renewable energy, and infrastructure, despite challenges in the office market and rising labor costs.
Construction employment increased in 39 states in May from a year earlier, while 26 states added construction jobs between April and May, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials noted that construction labor shortages remain acute even as demand for construction remains varied by project type. “Although some project types are slowing, there is unrelenting competition for workers for data centers, manufacturing plants, power and infrastructure projects in much of the country,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The industry’s ‘war for talent’ is driving up labor-related costs…