The U.S. government today released the April job report, and it was encouraging news. The economy created 290,000 jobs last month – 231,000 of them in the private sector. This is the largest number of new jobs in four years and the fourth consecutive month of U.S. job growth.

 

Our economy has come a long way from just one year ago. During the first months of 2009, our economy lost an average of 750,000 jobs each month. But, in the first few months of this year, the economy has created nearly 500,000 new private sector jobs. 

 

That is an encouraging sign that policies being put in place by President Obama and the Democratic Congress are having a positive effect on U.S. job growth.

 

There is no question that we still have a long way to go. Especially in the construction industry.

 

But, we will not, and we cannot, reverse overnight two years of recession and a decade of declining economic security for the middle class under the Administration of George W. Bush.. It will take time to replace the nearly 8 million jobs that have been lost.

 

But, at least there are encouraging signs.

The unemployment rate remains unacceptably high. President Obama has made clear that JOBS continue to be his top priority…as they are for America’s Building Trades Unions. 

 

And he is listening to our concerns.

 

He recently directed that federal loan guarantees be provided for the construction of the first nuclear power reactor in over 40 years at the Plant Vogtle plant in Georgia – a project that will be constructed under our new Nuclear Power Construction Labor Agreement.

 

He also recently signed into law a jobs bill that provided new incentives for small businesses to hire unemployed workers and to spur business growth and investment.

 

The President has also called on Congress to expand the clean energy manufacturing tax credit and to create a $30 billion small business lending fund to help small businesses get the credit they need to create jobs.   

 

The tough measures President Obama took in the Economic Recovery Act – from cutting taxes for 95 percent of Americans to investing in infrastructure projects across the country – have stopped our economy from plunging into a depression and are helping put people back to work. It has taken some time, but we are now on a steadfast journey towards economic recovery and job growth.

 

And just like the White House, America’s Building Trades will continue to do everything we can, every single day, to create jobs and build a new foundation for our members – who are at the heart of the American the middle class.

 

For too long, Washington has done what was easy instead of what was right. We cannot allow that to happen any longer.  And our unions are fighting to ensure that we will not go back to the policies that got us here in the first place. And we will not be satisfied until this economy has returned to long-term growth and job creation.