Associated Builders and Contractors has hired Joseph Xavier, a safety and workforce expert with more than 30 years of experience, as its senior director of health and safety. Xavier will lead and contribute to the development and deployment of the overall health, safety and environment strategy for the association, its 69 chapters and its more than 21,000 member companies.
The not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate plunged 4.6% in December 2021 from a year ago, down from 9.6% to 5%, while all 50 states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by Associated Builders and Contractors.
“There are at least a dozen explanations for today’s employment report, which indicates that nonresidential construction employment declined in January even as many other segments added many jobs,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
Kowalski Construction faced an extraordinary task in one of its recent projects. After a large fire ravaged one of Arizona’s largest malls, one-third of the shopping center was affected with heavy smoke and water damage. As one of the area’s only construction companies qualified to handle a job of this magnitude, they were asked to perform restoration services, but with a twist. Managers wanted to keep the mall open for business.
National nonresidential construction spending fell 0.7% in December 2021, according to Associated Builders and Contractors analysis. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $820.7 billion for the month.
ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for sales, profit margins and staffing levels increased in December. All three indices stand above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations of growth over the next six months.
The construction industry added 22,000 net jobs in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the industry has recovered slightly more than one million (92.1%) of the jobs lost during earlier pandemic stages.
“If no news is good news, then this was a fine report,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $820.6 billion for the month.
The seventh annual Merit Shop Scorecard is a ranking based on state policies and programs that encourage workforce development, grow career and technical education, strengthen careers in construction and advocate for fair and open competition for taxpayer-funded construction projects.
“ABC is deeply disappointed that the 6th Circuit Court lifted the 5th Circuit’s stay of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard, which applies to employers with 100 or more employees," said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs.
