A Jobless Recovery: For Those in the Construction Industry, Depression-Like Conditions Remain

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As job growth in the overall economy continued, the construction industry in America remained mired in a Depression-like state, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor. The number of jobs declined slightly, while the unemployment rate in the industry fell to 20 percent – indicating many construction workers have given up looking for work after years of uninterrupted decline. Nearly 1.7 million men and women were unable to find work.

Terry O'Sullivan, General President of LIUNA, made the following statement:

"Stagnation in the construction industry needs to serve as a reminder that our country is still not on the path to a true recovery which will ensure that the United States remains a global leader.

"Congress can begin to solve this problem by getting to work on a new surface transportation bill that would create millions of jobs and invest in our basic needs, such as roads and bridges, and leave behind a positive legacy for taxpayers and future generations.

"It's time that leaders in Washington did what they were elected to do: to build our country, create desperately needed jobs and ensure America remains a global leader."

The half-million members of LIUNA – the Laborers' International Union of North America – are on the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build America.

SOURCE Laborers' International Union of North America