Total nonresidential construction spending was virtually unchanged in January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.245 trillion.

Construction input prices increased 1.3% in February compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 1.3% for the month.

Earlier this month we celebrated Women in Construction Week. This is a perfect opportunity to highlight the growing role women play in our industry. As of 2024, 11.2 percent of the U.S. construction workforce was female.  All told, there were about 1.34 million women working in our industry, up from 802,000 in 2012.

Associated Builders and Contractors reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.1 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 20 to March 6. The reading is up 0.1 months from January but down 0.2 months from February 2025.

The construction industry had 231,000 job openings on the last day of January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings decreased by 14,000 in January and are down by 1,000 from the same time last year.

Construction input prices increased 0.7% in January compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.6% for the month.

The construction industry lost 11,000 jobs on net in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 42,000 jobs, an increase of 0.5%.

National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.6% in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.24 trillion.

According to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025 Union Members Summary/, 11.1% of U.S. construction industry workers belong to a union, an increase from 10.3% in 2024, versus 88.9% who do not.

One phrase that many of you have heard from your fellow members and ABC MA staff is “More members, more clout.”  Every voice matters, and that’s especially true in a state like Massachusetts. The open shop accounts for 82.7 percent of the construction workforce, yet our voice is not proportionately reflected when it comes to issues affecting our industry.