But industry leaders warn the good news may be short-lived. “Those gains will fade later this year unless policymakers provide greater clarity and stability for infrastructure and energy investment,” said Ken Simonson, AGC’s chief economist, in a statement. With the federal-aid surface transportation program set to expire in September, contractors are already weighing whether to expand their payrolls or hold off on new hires.

At the same time, union-backed apprenticeship programs continue to grow. North America’s Building Trades Unions reported a record 88,000 new apprentices in 2025, and union membership rose by over 47,000 last year. In a statement, NABTU President Sean McGarvey credits these results to long-term investments in training and supportive federal policies – factors that make union shops especially resilient when demand for skilled labor spikes.

Yet beneath the headline numbers, challenges persist. The unemployment rate for experienced construction workers jumped to 6.9 percent in January, outpacing the national average. And while average hourly earnings climbed to $38.26, job opportunities remain uneven, especially in residential construction.

Private-sector union membership in the U.S. remains at a historic low, with just 5.9 percent of workers belonging to a union in 2025, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This comes despite aggressive organizing and major spending from unions such as the SEIU and UAW, who have targeted universities, restaurants, and the hospitality sector in hopes of reversing long-term declines outside of the construction trades.

“Despite years of heavy spending and aggressive organizing campaigns, the union effort to organize the private-sector continues to fall flat,” said Charlyce Bozzello, communications director at the Center for Union Facts. “This data suggests that no amount of positive news headlines has changed the fact that workers simply don’t see unions as a relevant tool in today’s rapidly modernizing workforce.”

While many sectors have seen union influence wane, construction trades have managed to buck the national trend – with union apprenticeship programs and workforce numbers growing even as other industries struggle to organize.

For the sheet metal and multi-trade workforce, this moment highlights both opportunity and risk. Continued growth will depend not just on market demand, but on Washington’s ability to deliver stable, long-term infrastructure funding – a point union leaders and industry groups agree on.

As Congress debates the future of transportation and energy investment, the construction trades are reminding policymakers: the nation’s economic security depends on a steady pipeline of projects – and the skilled professionals ready to build them.