Construction is a sector of the U.S. economy that has
historically excluded black workers, including the unionized portion of the
industry. Giving black workers access to full-time high paying jobs is an
important part of closing the American racial wealth gap, and wage inequities.
Today, black tradesmen & women represent only 7.1% of the workers in the
construction industry, totaling approx. 525,000(+/-) workers. *The table below
provides data on the black share of employment in the construction industry,
broken down into trade categories. These numbers are based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2019 -
Construction laborers - 148,250
Carpenters - 85,250
Electricians - 72,734
Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters - 52,562
Painters, construction and maintenance - 34,599
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators - 25,650
Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers - 13,776
Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons - 13,299
Roofers - 13,266
Sheet metal workers - 11,319
Helpers, construction trades - 10,241
Construction and building inspectors - 8,316
Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers - 7,544
Cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers - 6,250
Insulation workers - 5,220
Mining machine operators - 4,355
Structural iron and steel workers - 3,780
TOTAL - 516,411 (+/-) Black/African-American Construction Worker*
*The following numbers do not include Utility workers, Installers, Supervisors, or Cabinet makers due to classification of their trade(s) as listed in the BLS number:
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers - 35,872
Telecommunications line installers and repairers - 27,510
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers - 26,638
Radio and telecommunications equipment installers and repairers -21,760
Electrical power-line installers and repairers - 13,700
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters -3,705
ADDITIONAL - 129,185 Black/African-American Skilled Tradesmen/Tradeswomen
THE FOLLOWING TRADES ARE NOT REPORTED IN BLS NUMBERS STATISTICALLY BASED ON PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYED BY RACE :
>Manufactured building and mobile home installers
>Riggers
>Miscellaneous construction and related workers
>Fence erectors
>Elevator installers and repairers
>Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
>Signal and track switch repairers
>Pile-driver operators
>Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
>Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
>GlaziersEarth drillers, except oil and gas