Construction employment up slightly in November

Mecklenburg Times staff reports//January 3, 2012//

Construction employment rose in only 19 states and the District of Columbia in November, a weaker showing than in recent months, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data.

In contrast, 25 states plus D.C. added jobs on a year-
over-year basis, while 24 states shed construction jobs.

In North Carolina, construction employment rose
0.2 percent with a one-month gain of 300 jobs to 171,200 employees. That number is 2,700 jobs fewer than the 173,900 employees a year ago, accounting for 1.6 percent drop.

South Carolina construction employment rose 0.8 percent to 75,800 employees with an increase of 600 jobs in
November. The state’s construction employment is down 3,200 jobs, or 4.1 percent, since November 2010 when there were 79,000 construction jobs.