The construction industry drives the American economy, typically accounting for 5 percent of our nation’s gross domestic product. But with 1.7 million construction workers jobless, it is an industry in crisis. We can build America by investing in the fundamentals of the country and quickly create millions of good jobs that will get the economy back on track. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will create at least 700,000 construction jobs by investing more than $100 billion in America’s basics. It’s a start - but with current needs for our transportation systems, energy systems and schoolhouses now estimated at $2.2 trillion, the recovery plan is only a down payment. Much more is needed to help us compete globally and to build America, so America works.

Public works projects are tried and true job creation vehicles - every billion dollars in federal transportation investment supports 34,800 jobs - and they leave behind tangible assets for future generations. Construction jobs are good jobs, providing paychecks that circulate throughout local communities helping those hardest hit by the economic crisis.

Green Jobs

Jobs building a greener economy hold great potential. LIUNA has partnered with the Apollo Alliance and the Blue Green Alliance in calling for investment in a green economy to make the world healthier and to create jobs.

• Weatherizing 1 million homes a year can free us from 3 million barrels of foreign oil while supporting 78,000 jobs.
• Simply freeing our highways from gridlock can save Americans the 4.2 billion hours and nearly $1,000 a year we each waste in gas while stuck in traffic, while putting millions of men and women back to work.
• Stepping up construction of wind and solar power and modernizing our electrical grid will dramatically reduce carbon emissions while putting hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work.

Overall, for every billion dollars invested in green projects, the Center for American Progress estimates that 20,000 jobs are created. But for jobs to truly be green jobs, they must help sustain families with living wages and benefits. It does no good to care for the Earth, if we don’t care for the people on it.

Resources

High Road or Low Road? Job Quality in the New Green Economy. Good Jobs First.

U.S. Mayors Conference Report on Green Jobs. U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Green Recovery: A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy. Center for American Progress.

Investing in U. S. Infrastructure Promoting Economic Stimulus and Growth. Economic Policy Institute.

Greener Pathways: Jobs and Workforce Development in the Clean Energy Economy. Apollo Alliance.

The Economic Benefits of Public Transit: Essential Support for a Strong Economy. Transportation Riders United.

The world economy is moving -- Can America keep up? American Public Transportation Association.

How Infrastructure Investments Support the U.S. Economy: Employment, Productivity, and Growth. Political Economy Research Institute.

The Economic Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Mark Zandi, Moody's Economy.com