Local construction employment falls

PROVIDENCE – Construction employment in the Providence metropolitan area dipped 2 percent in August compared with the same month last year, the Associated General Contractors of America said this week.
The association said the construction industry employed 21,400 in the region, which includes Providence, Fall River, Warwick and the surrounding areas. That was down 400 jobs from last August.
The association said construction employment fell in 245 out of 337 metro areas studied in the United States while employment remained unchanged in another 36. Fifty-six areas showed gains in employment. At the same time, more cities added construction jobs during the past year than at any point since September 2008.
“With construction employment on the mend in an increasing number of areas, it appears that the worst is finally over,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The fact remains, however, that this industry has a long way to go before we see construction employment back to pre-recession levels.”
The association pointed out that unemployment in the construction industry is double the national average.
“The fact that the best news the industry has had in years is that we’re not losing jobs as fast as we were is a reflection of how hard hit construction has been during the downturn,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO. “Too many construction workers remain unemployed while Congress lets long-delayed infrastructure legislation idle.”