The oil and gas industry employs millions of workers. In 2018, 6.7 million Americans worked within the traditional energy sector. Yet, when we often hear about the industry, it’s entangled in political and environmental news. Rarely does it look at the workers themselves and the challenging and physical barriers of the job. In 2013, Michael Patrick Smith moved from Brooklyn, New York to Williston, North Dakota to make a living as an oil swamper in the industry. He shares his experience this week on Viewpoints.
Guest:
- Michael Patrick Smith, writer, author, A Good Hand: A Memoir of Work, Brotherhood and Transformation in an American Boomtown.
Links for more information:
- The New York Times: From an Artist’s Life in Brooklyn to North Dakota’s Oil Fields.
- Truthout: Biden Could Hire Jobless Oil and Gas Workers to Plug Abandoned Oil Wells.
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