The Daily Dig
New workforce data released Feb 18, 2026, offers a clear look at how the U.S. construction labor market is structured. An Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025 Union Members Summary shows that 11.1% of construction workers belong to a union, up from 10.3% in 2024. That means nearly nine out of ten workers operate in merit-based construction environments.
In real terms, about 995,000 construction workers were union members in 2025, while roughly 8 million worked in merit shop construction. Altogether, the industry employed around 9 million people last year.
ABC also noted that merit shop employment reached a record high in 2025, while warning the industry is still dealing with a projected shortage of 349,000 workers in 2026, plus rising material costs, tariffs, immigration enforcement pressures, office vacancies and fast-moving construction technologies
Snapshot:
Data source / report: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025 Union Members Summary
Analysis released by: Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Release date: Feb. 18, 2026
Total U.S. construction workforce (2025): 9 million workers
Union members: 995,000 construction workers
Union membership rate (2025): 11.1%
Union membership rate (2024): 10.3%
Merit shop workforce: Approximately 8 million workers
Merit shop share of workforce: 88.9%
Industry workforce outlook: 349,000 worker shortage projected in 2026
Industry pressures cited: Aging workforce, immigration enforcement, high materials prices, tariffs, office vacancies, evolving construction technologies
TheJobWalk Thoughts
For contractors and business development teams, the takeaway here is scale. Roughly eight million construction workers operate in merit shop environments, which is where most projects across the country ultimately find their crews. The bigger concern isn’t labor structure, it’s supply. With a projected shortfall of 349,000 workers in 2026, contractors are likely to keep feeling pressure when it comes to staffing projects, especially as large infrastructure, manufacturing and energy builds compete for the same skilled trades.
