Construction employers added 6,000 workers to payrolls in June as the industry's unemployment rate dropped to 8.2 percent, its lowest June level in six years, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that recent employment gains could be undermined when the federal government begins scaling back transportation investments in August. "The construction industry continues to expand gradually and unevenly," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "Despite recent job growth, construction employment is still more than 1.7 million jobs or 22 percent below its 2006 peak." Construction employment totaled 6,015,000 in June, the highest total since June 2009 and an increase of 186,000 or 3.2 percent from a year earlier, Residential construction added 6,600 jobs in June and 106,300 (4.9 percent) over 12 months.
http://www.agc.org/cs/news_media/press_room/press_release?pressrelease.id=1598