A community organization is conducting focus groups consisting of local oil field workers to better understand the industry and its challenges. Participants are compensated for their time, and the goal of the focus groups is to find meaningful political solutions to problems faced by an economy such as ours that is highly dependent on a single industry: Oil & Gas.
Somos un Pueblo Unido, We Are A United People, is a state-wide pro-immigrant and pro-worker community organization. The local chapter in Hobbs, Somos Accion, is advocating for improved working conditions for oilfield workers and new opportunities. As part of these efforts, Somos Accion has collaborated with the University of New Mexico to organize focus groups of oil field workers and their family members. Participants in the focus group are compensated.
The goal of the focus groups is to learn about the reality oilfield workers live every day: challenges they face on the job and suggestions for improving their working conditions and professional opportunities.
Maria Romano, a community organizer with Somos Accion, shared that so far they have interviewed 50 oilfield workers and their responses to the focus group questions have been very enlightening. “They say it’s the only job here,” says Romano. “There aren’t a lot of options, but they wouldn’t want this work as a future for their children.” Participants are very thankful for the opportunities work in the oilfield has provided them, but with the dangerous nature of the job and the long hours they have to spend away from their families, there was a consensus among the group that they do not want their children to pursue careers in the oilfield industry. “Oilfield workers want other opportunities as well, so they can stay in the area and create a community.”
Many of their children have sought educational and career opportunities that have taken them to other states and far away cities. Their children’s moving away from home has been shown to be very painful for the survey participants. Many of them have purchased homes in Lea County and like the sense of community that has grown where they have “laid down their roots,” according to Romano.
One of the solutions proposed by the group was to diversify our local economy so that recent high school and college graduates can seek local opportunities outside of the oil & gas industry. The focus group suggested industries that could be developed to diversify our regional economy. Some of the industries included: movie studios, agricultural crops suited for our climate, broader healthcare services, and green energy jobs.
Politicians at the state and federal level and oil executives are paying attention to these suggestions. During the 2023 New Mexico Legislative session Somos members successfully advocated for $100 million in funding to support economic transition initiatives to promote green energy. These initiatives include training and educational opportunities for students and workers from our region to learn skills necessary for green energy jobs. On March 16 representatives from Senator Martin Heinrich’s office met with the focus group to listen to their ideas. On July 11 Somos participated in a Zoom call with US House Representatives Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez and staff from US Senators’ offices during which all were eager to hear reports from the focus group regarding ideas for improving working conditions, quality of life, and professional opportunities for students and workers in Lea County. New Mexico’s congressional representatives have indicated that the big oil companies also want to explore alternative and green energy resources as a way of increasing investment in the region.
Romano stated that Somos Accion is still recruiting participants for the focus group. Ideally, they would like to interview at least 50 more oilfield workers. Participants receive monetary compensation for their time. The next meeting will be on July 25 at 3:00pm at the Hobbs Public Library, 509 N Shipp St.
Representatives from New Mexico Workforce Solutions and the Sustainable Economy Advisory Council will be present to listen to community members’ suggestions regarding economic diversification. Please call (575) 397-0022 if you would like to receive more information about Somos Accion and participating in their community initiatives.
