Aug. 3, 2007 - Jobs Report Understates Nonresidential Construction Gain
While total construction employment dipped
in July (down 0.7 percent compared to the same time in 2006), nonresidential
construction continues to grow, leaping 14 percent from June 2006 to June 2007.
The BLS report shows job gains of only 1.5 percent in the past 12 months, which
Simonson says shows a discrepancy due to mislabeling workers as “residential”
specialty contractors.
“Industry contacts tell me there are many
subcontractors doing commercial work who formerly concentrated on residential
work,” Simonson says. If their companies use their former industry code, the
workers will be miscounted.