WASHINGTON, May 3—The not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate dropped 0.4% in March 2023 from a year ago, down from 6% to 5.6%, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. Thirty-two states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, five were unchanged and 13 states were higher.

WASHINGTON, April 19—Associated Builders and Contractors announced its strong support for the Employee Rights Act, which was introduced today in the 118th Congress by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga.

WASHINGTON, April 28—Associated Builders and Contractors today released its 2023 Safety Performance Report, an annual guide to safety best practices on construction jobsites and comprehensive study of the impact of the STEP Safety Management System.

WASHINGTON, April 13—According to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of 2022 state union membership data published recently by UnionStats.com, at least 9 out of 10 construction workers in private industry do not belong to a union in 26 states, up from 24 states in 2021. Nationwide, a record 88.3% of construction workers do not belong to a union, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, up from 87.4% in 2021.

WASHINGTON, April 13—Construction input prices increased 0.2% in March, 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 rose 0.4% for the month.

WASHINGTON, April 12—Associated Builders and Contractors today announced that 45 of its contractor members have been named an Accredited Quality Contractor, a prestigious credential recognizing commitment to corporate responsibility, for at least 25 of the past 30 years. ABC is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Accredited Quality Contractors program in 2023.

WASHINGTON, April 7—The construction industry lost 9,000 jobs on net in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 196,000 jobs, an increase of 2.5%. 

WASHINGTON, April 11—Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator declined to 8.7 months in March, according to an ABC member survey conducted March 20 to April 3. The reading is 0.4 months higher than in March 2022.

WASHINGTON, April 4—The construction industry supported 412,000 job openings in February, 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 129,000 last month, but are down 9,000 from the same time last year.

WASHINGTON, April 3—National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.4% in February, 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 $982.2 billion for the month.