a:26:{s:9:"weblog_id";s:1:"4";s:8:"entry_id";s:0:"";s:6:"sticky";s:0:"";s:14:"allow_comments";s:1:"n";s:16:"allow_trackbacks";s:1:"n";s:10:"entry_date";s:19:"2009-06-26 06:31 AM";s:15:"expiration_date";s:0:"";s:23:"comment_expiration_date";s:0:"";s:8:"category";a:2:{i:0;s:1:"4";i:1;s:2:"61";}s:9:"author_id";s:1:"2";s:6:"status";s:4:"open";s:14:"trackback_urls";s:0:"";s:18:"versioning_enabled";s:1:"y";s:5:"title";s:43:"Construction Unemployment Picture Brightens";s:9:"url_title";s:43:"construction_unemployment_picture_brightens";s:6:"submit";s:6:"Submit";s:11:"field_id_26";s:43:"Construction Unemployment Picture Brightens";s:11:"field_ft_26";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_31";s:0:"";s:11:"field_id_44";s:71:"AGC reported that 18 states added construction jobs from April to May. ";s:11:"field_ft_44";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_28";s:25:"AGC, employment, Simonson";s:11:"field_ft_28";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_29";s:3942:"<p>The construction employment picture brightened slightly with 18 states adding construction jobs from April to May according to a new analysis of data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).&nbsp; However, construction employment overall continued to decline, noted Ken Simonson, the chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America.<br /><br />\"Projects funded by the stimulus legislation probably mitigated the overall downturn in construction jobs in May,\" Simonson said, noting however that the BLS data do not separately identify &lsquo;stimulus\' hires.&nbsp; \"While the stimulus is starting to help, it is not keeping pace with overall declines in construction activity in most places.\" <br /><br />Simonson noted that North Dakota saw the biggest increase in construction employment from April to May, with a 9-percent rise, seasonally adjusted, followed by Mississippi, 4 percent; South Dakota and Indiana, 3 percent each; and West Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and Nebraska, 2 percent each.&nbsp; (To prevent disclosure of data for industries with small employment totals, BLS presents construction combined with mining and logging in South Dakota, Nebraska, four other states and the District of Columbia.)<br />&nbsp; <br />Despite these localized construction gains, however, national construction employment dropped by 59,000 (almost 1 percent), seasonally adjusted, from April to May, Simonson added.<br /><br />Compared to construction employment this time last year, the current jobs picture is bleaker, Simonson said.&nbsp; For example, Arizona, shed 28 percent of its payroll jobs in construction over the past 12 months.; Kentucky and Connecticut 21 percent each, and Nevada and Tennessee (combined data), 20 percent each.&nbsp; Meanwhile, only North Dakota (4 percent) and South Dakota (3 percent) added construction jobs since last May.&nbsp; <br /><br />Metro-area data also provided a grim picture over the past 12 months. (Metro figures are not seasonally adjusted and thus are suitable for comparing only to same month in prior years.)<br /><br />Only nine out of 311 metro areas for which data is available had year-over-year employment gains in construction (or combined sectors), led by Baton Rouge, 7 percent; Grand Junction, Colorado (combined data), 5 percent; Odessa, Texas, and Bismarck, N.D. ( both with combined data), 4 percent; and Decatur, Illinois (combined data), 3 percent. Two metros had no changed in construction (combined data) employment, while 300 had losses. The steepest losses over the past 12 months were in Pascagoula, Miss. (combined data), -40 percent; Redding, Calif. (combined data), -37 percent; Reno-Sparks, Nev., -31 percent; Tucson and Phoenix-Mesa, Scottsdale, both -29 percent.&nbsp; <br /><br />\"Whether more states and metros join the &lsquo;win column\' in adding construction jobs depends largely on how quickly all levels of government turn stimulus money into contracts,\" Simonson said.&nbsp; \"Local governments must avoid imposing their own Buy American standards, states must work promptly to hold bid lettings, and federal agencies need to clarify reporting requirements and rules.\"<br /><br />Simonson noted that getting more stimulus money flowing will help companies like San Angelo, Texas-based Reece Albert Inc. which has been able to save 20 jobs to date because of stimulus funded highway work.&nbsp; And given the likelihood of continued declines in privately-funded construction, getting stimulus funds flowing for non-transportation projects will help companies like Gorham, Maine-based R.J. Grondin&nbsp; Sons pick up more water main and other construction work.<br /><a href=\"http://www.mmsend1.com/ls.cfm?r=23959382&amp;sid=6806742&amp;m=758734&amp;u=agca&amp;s=http://www.agc.org/galleries/econ/Metro%20empl%200509.pdf \"><br />Click here to view the state and metro-area construction employment figures. </a></p>";s:10:"category_0";s:1:"4";s:10:"category_1";s:2:"61";}