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CONSTRUCTION COMEBACK?
Tentative Recovery Driving Membership Rebound

After six years of shelved projects and record unemployment, things are starting to look up for the construction industry — even if the upturn remains fragile and tentative.

"In 2012, you could have felt hopeful about the economy on any given day. Some days, you also could have felt the opposite. It was the year of the rocky recovery," writes Jeff Gavin in the Electrical Contractor, a publication of the National Electrical Contractors Association. "But if you take a closer look at what happened in key construction sectors and the economy as a whole, you'll find a fragile recovery gaining strength for 2013."

Despite the large number of construction workers on the bench — unemployment is still running upward of 14 percent — many IBEW business managers see work in their areas picking up, with 2013 shaping up to be their best year since the Great Recession started in 2007.

Unemployment among IBEW inside wiremen is down to 19 percent, a drop of seven points from the height of the recession, while outside construction boasts near full employment.

"We have quite a few big projects on our radar screen," says Miami Local 349 Business Manager Bill Riley, who also serves on the International Executive Council. Some of the jobs in store include the $1 billion Port of Miami Tunnel, some large condo units, and various commercial projects throughout Miami-Dade County. While still short of the employment picture before the recession, most Local 349 members are back to work.

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