PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island lost 1,600 construction jobs year over year in June, ranking it second-to-last among the states and the District of Columbia for construction employment, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
The Ocean State had a 9.6 percent decline in construction employment. It was among 11 states that lost construction jobs over the past year, compared with 39 states and the District of Columbia, which added jobs.
Said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, “Investing in transportation infrastructure will make it easier for many firms involved in highway and transit construction to add new staff.”
West Virginia lost the highest percent of construction jobs at 12.8 percent or 4,300 jobs. Rhode Island was next with its 9.6 percent drop and loss of 1,600 jobs, followed by Mississippi (-7.9 percent, -3,900 jobs) and Ohio (-7.9 percent, -3,900 jobs). The largest job losses occurred in Ohio, West Virginia and Mississippi.
California added more new construction jobs (47,000 jobs, 7.0 percent) between June 2014 and June 2015 than any other state. Other states adding a high number of new construction jobs for the past 12 months included Florida (25,200 jobs, 6.4 percent), Texas (18,900 jobs, 2.9 percent), Washington (15,300 jobs, 9.7 percent) and Michigan (14,000 jobs, 9.8 percent).
Idaho (12.9 percent, 4,600 jobs) added the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year, followed by Nevada (11.1 percent, 7,000 jobs); Michigan; Arkansas (9.7 percent, 4,400 jobs) and North Carolina.
Wait what about the 800 jobs that DeepRipOff is bringing to RI along with $600 million in overcharges? Oh yeah, those jobs are in Louisiana and Europe where all the equipment is being built. The over charges are all ours though.