Statement of Building and Construction Trades Department President Mark H. Ayers on President Obama's Jobs Proposal

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Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO

Sep 08, 2011, 08:30 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- America's Building Trades Unions are encouraged that after so much recent attention on deficit reduction, President Obama has challenged Congress to address the crisis facing our members, their families and so many Americans by presenting a series of proposals aimed at turning our struggling economy around and putting us back to work. Nowhere is the jobs crisis being felt more than in the construction industry, where the lack of jobs remains at historical highs and where investments in commercial and industrial construction as well as transportation infrastructure remain at generational lows.

Estimates by state highway officials conclude that for every $1 billion spent on infrastructure projects, 35,000 to 40,000 construction jobs are created. Equally important are the tremendous multiplier effects in engineering, manufacturing and virtually all aspects of employment, both private and public. It's good for workers, it's good for business and it's good for the nation.

"Our members are tired of politics and demand action. President Obama has put forth a plan that will help restore confidence in our economy in both the near and long term. We call on Congress to act and look forward to working with the Administration and Congress on all elements of this proposal. This isn't the President's burden to carry alone. It's long overdue for Congress to put political motivations aside and answer the call for leadership put forth by their constituents. Short of action by Congress which the American people so desperately seek, we strongly encourage the President to continue to explore and utilize every possible avenue within his Executive authority to create jobs."

The Building and Construction Trades Department is an alliance of 13 national and international unions that collectively represent over 2 million skilled craft professionals in the United States and Canada.

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SOURCE Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO