WASHINGTON, Aug. 2—The not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate was 0.1% lower in June 2023 from a year ago, down from 3.7% to 3.6%. According to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors, 15 states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, seven were unchanged and 28 states were higher. All states posted an unemployment rate lower than 8%.  

WASHINGTON, July 17—ABC announced its opposition to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule, issued today, which will undo the ABC-supported provisions of the 2019 final rule promulgated under the Trump administration and reprise the 2016 Obama-era rule.

WASHINGTON, July 13—Construction input prices remained unchanged in June compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices were also unchanged for the month.

Associated Builders and Contractors today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s passage of the Fair and Open Competition Act, H.R. 1209. FOCA would protect federal and federally assisted construction contracts from anti-competitive and inflationary government-mandated project labor agreements and allow merit shop contractors and their skilled employees to have a fair chance at competing to win government contracts to build taxpayer-funded construction projects.

WASHINGTON, July 11—Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator remained unchanged at 8.9 months in June, according to an ABC member survey conducted June 20 to July 5. The reading is unchanged from June 2022.

WASHINGTON, July 10—Associated Builders and Contractors member contractors invested more than $1.5 billion to provide nearly 1.3 million course attendees with craft, leadership and safety education in 2022, according to its 2023 Workforce Development Survey, down from $1.6 billion in 2021. The annual assessment quantifies the scope of ABC members’ workforce development initiatives to advance their employees’ careers in commercial and industrial construction to build the places where Americans live, work, learn, heal and play.

WASHINGTON, July 7—Construction industry employment increased by 23,000 in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industry employment has risen by 198,000 jobs since June 2022, an increase of 2.6%, to 7.947 million. 

WASHINGTON, July 6—The construction industry had 366,000 job openings on the last day of May, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings increased by 19,000 last month but are down by 26,000 from the same time last year.

WASHINGTON, July 3—National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.2% in May, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.06 trillion.