Author: agcnews

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale and Lawton, Okla. Top Lists of Year-over-Year Increases in Industry Employment While New York City and Decatur, Ill. Experience Worst Number and Percent of Construction Job Losses Construction employment increased in 231 or 65 percent of 358 metro areas between January 2023 and January 2024, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that the industry ended the month with more than 400,000 job openings nationwide, suggesting that many more metros would have experienced employment increases if enough qualified workers were available. “Although construction employment has been rising nationally and in nearly two-thirds…

AGC of America and its co-plaintiffs challenging the National Labor Relations Board’s (“NLRB” or “Board”) joint-employer rule in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas were handed a big win on March 8. The judge in Chamber of Commerce v. NLRB vacated the rule – which was finalized in 2023 and scheduled to take effect March 11 – in its entirety. The judge also vacated the Board’s recission of a rule issued by the previous Board in 2020. The vacated rule would have made it easier for one company to be deemed the joint-employer of another company’s employees under the…

California and South Dakota Lead Rankings of Year-over-Year Increases, While New York and D.C. Lag; North Carolina, Arkansas, Hawaii, and Mississippi Top Monthly Gains, While Illinois Has Largest Declines Construction employment increased in 37 states in January from a year earlier, while 33 states added construction jobs between December and January, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials noted that demand for construction remains strong in many parts of the country, but cautioned that labor shortages are restraining employment gains in the sector. “This report confirms that construction demand remains…

New Data Aligns with Reports on Job Openings and Construction Spending That Point to Continuing Strong Demand for Workers;­­­­­­­ But Firms Continue to Struggle to Find Enough Qualified Workers to Hire The construction industry added 23,000 jobs in February—the most since August—as a strong gain in employment at nonresidential contractors offset a small decline at residential firms, according to an analysis of new government data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials noted that new figures on the number of job openings in the industry underscore the challenges firms are having finding enough qualified people to hire amid strong…

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. and Fairbanks, Alaska Top Lists of Year-over-Year Rise in Industry Employment While New York City and Decatur, Ill. Experience Worst Number and Percent of Construction Job Losses Construction employment rose in 227, or 63 percent, of 358 metro areas between February 2023 and February 2024, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that the widespread increase in employment was consistent with recently released numbers showing year-over-year spending gains in every major type of construction project. “Construction employment has posted steady increases nationally and most metro areas but the industry will need…

In this special episode of AGC’s ConstructorCast, host Max Nelson sits down with industry leaders Dan Johnson, CEO of Mortenson, and Mike Choutka, Chairman and CEO of Hensel Phelps, to dive deep into the upcoming 10th-anniversary celebration of Construction Safety Week.As this year’s Chair and Co-chair, Dan and Mike share their insights on the growth and evolution of Construction Safety Week over the past decade, and discuss the theme for this year, “Value Every Voice.” Guests:Dan JohnsonChief Executive OfficerMortensonwww.mortenson.com Mike ChoutkaChairman | Chief Executive OfficerHensel Phelpswww.henselphelps.com Resources:www.constructionsafetyweek.com/ 2024 Construction Safety Week Slide Deckwww.agc.org/sites/default/files…cast_2024_Final.pdf

Severe January Weather May Have Slowed Infrastructure Work, Outweighing Recovery in Single-Family Homebuilding and Continuing Strong Demand for Manufacturing Plants Total construction spending slipped from December to January amid widespread severe weather, but outlays climbed strongly compared to January 2023, with year-over-year gains in every category, according to an analysis of a new government report that the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials noted, however, that some construction segments appear to be impacted by broader economic conditions. “The dip in January is more likely due to bad weather than to weakening demand overall,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s…

Construction Industry’s Election Fund Also Provides the Maximum Primary Contribution to Support the Carl Campaign Noting His Strong Support for Key Construction Issues The Associated General Contractors of America Political Action Committee, also known as the AGC PAC, announced today that it has endorsed Representative Jerry Carl for the United States House of Representatives. AGC PAC officials said they are supporting the Carl campaign because of his strong commitment to the construction industry in Alabama. “Jerry Carl is a serious leader who delivers for his constituents and state. He supports tax reforms that allow Alabama’s workers to keep more of their hard-earned…

Groups File Formal Request for Rulemaking Urging White House to Drop its Current Approach to Requirements that Risks Confusion and Delays on Key Construction Projects Four national trade associations petitioned the White House to make improvements in its implementation of “made in America” requirements for construction products and materials. They noted their members have encountered significant difficulty in navigating the White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) “opaque and unbalanced implementation,” risking delays and cost increases for vital housing, transportation, and water infrastructure projects funded by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. The infrastructure law, which was enacted in 2021, includes…

Last week, Lauren Benford of Reiman Group testified in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on behalf of AGC. Addressing soaring inflation, rising construction costs, and regulatory challenges, Lauren highlighted key issues impacting the construction industry. She noted that since February 2020, the average cost of construction materials has surged by 37%. Despite AGC’s support for enhancing America’s manufacturing capabilities, confusion persists among suppliers, contractors, and state departments of transportation. Lauren also emphasized the severe labor shortage in the industry, despite firms increasing pay and benefits. She called for the depoliticization of the Buy America…