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Permalink Reply by Ragnars Repo on January 19, 2013 at 5:14pm

Try to ignore the NPR spin. The company I work for does charter flights here and it's amazing. Trying to find a place to stay is not easy. Rumor has it McDonald's in the area are paying $15 an hour. Supply and demand, trickle down, always works always will.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Powers on January 20, 2013 at 7:58am

Fang -

the throngs of Ohio unemployed ready to step into the Marcellus fold have to be clean enough to pass a drug/alcohol screening test and have relatively clean driving records also. Many will not meet either requirement, unfortunately. A willingness to try the work, with or without any prior experience or traing will help, but not be the end-all.

 

The NPR article didn't have much to offer in terms of the tremendous strain on social services that the Baaken boom has left western North Dakota/ Eastern Montana. I got into a lengthy exchange of views about this with some other GMS members on this forum a few weeks ago.

 

I was last in Williston 31 years ago. It was minus 30°F with a strong north wind when we left to return to South Dakota, and 45 miles south of Williston, the temperature had fallen another 5 degrees F and it became even windier. I haven't been back since nor do I plan to soon.

 

Brian

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