Construction Industry to Bear the Brunt of Steel & Aluminum Tariffs

A pair of competing reports measuring the potential impact of the Trump Administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs have reached a similar conclusion—the construction industry will bear the brunt of the metals tariffs. While employing different models and arriving at drastically different figures, the two reports similarly project that the tariffs will greatly and adversely impact construction employment, especially when compared with other industries.

A report by the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA)—a domestic agriculture, manufacturer and union coalition—estimates that the tariffs could jeopardize 10,635 jobs in the construction sector, while a report prepared for the Business Roundtable by the Trade Partnership Worldwide puts that figure at 66,022 construction jobs, the most of any sector except “trade and distribution” services.

Regardless of the precise figure, the steel and aluminum tariffs’ will thin out a construction workforce that is already experiencing worker shortages. AGC urges its members to continue to pressure their congressional representation—and the president—to end the steel and aluminum tariffs.

For more information, contact Collin Janich at collin.janich@agc.org or (703) 837-5435.