Construction industry loses more jobs

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island construction industry lost 500 jobs in November compared with the same month last year, the Associated General Contractors of America said last week.
The association said the industry employed 16,200 people in the Ocean State last month, down from 16,700 a year ago. Employment was also down 400 jobs compared with the month prior.
Nationally, 13 states and Washington, D.C., posted gains in employment in November compared with the same month last year, the contractors said.
“It is encouraging that the number of states adding jobs year-over-year was higher in November than at any time since February 2008,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “However, the data also make clear that these gains are as spotty as they are tenuous.”
Rhode Island was not the worst hit. Twenty-five states lost a higher percentage of workers. South Carolina lost the same as Rhode Island – 3 percent.
Association officials said that construction employment was likely to oscillate and possibly drop during the coming months as many projects paid for with federal stimulus wind down and demand from the private sector remains weak.