Washington, D.C. (August 3, 2012) – Following June’s strong job numbers, today’s Bureau of Labor Statistics employment report shows continued growth in the construction industry during July. An additional 62,000 construction jobs were created in July, dropping the unemployment rate among construction workers from 12.8 percent to 12.3 percent.

“There is no doubt we are emerging from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Today’s jobs report shows signs of progress and gives hope,” LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan said. “Still, 994,000 construction workers are jobless.”

The U.S. economy has seen 29 months of consecutive job growth in the private sector, adding 4.5 million jobs across the country – 1.1 million of which were created in 2012. According to the BLS report, private sector payrolls overall increased by 172,000 in July, although the unemployment rate remained virtually unchanged at around 8.3 percent.

“We are moving forward at a steady pace, but there is still much that could be done to get this country back on track,” O’Sullivan said. “LIUNA members and millions of other working men and women want to go to work building America – and there is tremendous work to be done. We call on Congress to continue to seek ways to invest in our nation’s basic, critical infrastructure: our transportation systems, energy systems, waterways and public facilities.”