Concerns about workforce shortages appear to be easing during the coronavirus pandemic, but compensation for hourly workers is holding steady. Despite some delays and cancellations, many projects on the books before spring shutdowns are moving ahead. As a result, statistics show union and nonunion contractors—on average—continue to offer stable yearly compensation hikes.
About 52% of contractors still have a hard time filling some or all hourly craft positions, says the most recent workforce survey by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk, the lowest level of reported shortage since the measure began in 2013. By comparison, 80% of firms reported difficulty filling craft positions in the 2018 and 2019 surveys.