Construction dives 15% in 2008
Total U.S. construction starts dropped 15 percent to $542.8 billion in 2008, marking the second straight year of reduced contracting after a 7 percent fall in 2007.

But excluding the moribund residential market, new construction starts for 2008 were actually up a modest 2 percent compared to 2007.

"The pattern of construction starts revealed a downward trend over the course of 2008, as the extended slide for housing was joined by emerging weakness for commercial building and to a lesser extent public works," said Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction, in a report released Jan. 21. "At the same time, there were still several bright spots in 2008. These included more growth for educational buildings and healthcare facilities, plus large gains for manufacturing plants and electric power plants.

"For 2009, the depressed economy and troubled financial sector will lead to further declines for housing and commercial building, and a loss of momentum is also anticipated for the institutional and manufacturing structure types. "The eroding fiscal position of states and localities poses a constraint for public works, but this could be more than offset by the boost arising from the Obama Administration's stimulus package."

The two regions with the sharpest declines for total construction during 2008
were the South Atlantic, down 26 percent; and the West, down 25 percent. This was followed by the Midwest, down 12 percent; and the Northeast and South Central, each down 1 percent.



Bush's 'midnight rules' bite the dust
WASHINGTON (PAI) -To the delight of unions, among others, President Barack Obama used his first moments in the nation's highest office to make sure predecessor George W. Bush's "midnight rules" turned into pumpkins.

The first memo Obama approved said rules Bush promulgated in his final days would be suspended pending review for another 60 days, and those which have not yet been officially published would be yanked.

Among the Bush rules that Obama halted were a scheme to lengthen the number of hours truckers spend consecutively on the road, and a plan to make it harder for workers to show they've been exposed to toxic substances on the job.

They also include rules pushed by business to make it tougher for workers to take family and medical leave and to let their bosses demand workers' medical records.

Another Bush midnight brainstorm that Obama's action stopped would have added further onerous reporting requirements for local, state and national union officers.

The first reports under that rule are due this coming March.

The moves elated foes of the midnight rules, including the Teamsters. Withdrawal of Bush's midnight rules "was one of the recommendations on our transition document, so we're very excited about this," said AFL-CIO spokeswoman Alison Omens.