States adding the most jobs include California, Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Oregon.

Construction employment totaled 6.8 million, a figure that’s 2.6 percent higher than a year ago.

Many states are now experiencing construction employment declines as workers are hard to find, said StephenE. Sandherr, chief executive officer for the association.

The Obama administration estimates that 4.2 million workers will either receive raises or protections against being forced to work more than 40 hours a week.  

The construction industry’s overall unemployment fell to its lowest level in almost seven years as companies added 31,000 workers in October, the Associated General Contractors of America reported.

 The BlueGreen Alliance is made up of labor unions and environmental groups. Its members include the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.  

 The Associated General Contractors of Michigan’s July 30 Labor and Management Symposium brought many of the state’s major construction companies for an afternoon of training and discussion.