| Description | Tape 1 Side A DAVID MICHAEL ROBERTSON born Motherwell 1.12.1943. Family details. Father, David Robertson. Paternal grandfather's death from miners' disease. Reference to alcohol. Reference to Madame Bridle, Belgium, former Marchioness Ravensbruk. Maternal grandparents Mary and Michael McGowan owners of small tenement. Mother's discovery re her adoption night before her marriage. Details re childhood home. Father's work in steelworks. Many neighbours back from the war, respectable working class. Details re occupations. Description of father's personality, appearance. Details re his work as boilermaker, holidays. He always spent time at home, not out drinking. Description of mother. Recollection of discipline. Father's life mostly work, gardening. Football his only hobby. Details re his routine. Recollection of mother sleeping through air raids because of her deafness. Father in Home Guard, as steelworker in reserved occupation during war. Social life was family. Few cars around in early 1950s. Earliest memory of a holiday in Rothesay. Importance of religion. Recollection of religious prejudice. Apprenticeship in engineering in spite of being Catholic. Route to success for Catholics through teaching and the law in west of Scotland. Comparison with situation in Aberdeen. Importance of religion in home. Details re church services. Now an athiest. Political inclinations of parents; own route to trade unionism, political attitudes. Education at Craignewick Primary School. Effect of teacher's attitude to writing with left hand on later writing aspirations. Recollection of visit of black bishop from Nyasaland. Sport in childhood. Story re father when a boy, being shown round Dell House, by Lady Hamilton, seeing secret passage. 249
Tape 1 Side B 1956 St Joseph's Junior Secondary School. Reference 11-plus examination. Not very good academically. School co-educational, turned out people for industry. Girls expected to get married. Some men teachers back from war etc. Effect of TV on home life. Father a reader. Recollection of own interest in dogs. Influence of Jack London's Call of the Wild, led to own socialism. Awareness of unions when growing up. Father a shop steward. Music: After reading Lorna Doone wanted to marry a girl called Lorna who played the piano, and did. Career aspirations; father's ideas re teaching. Influence of schooling on own attitudes. Employment: first job with Marshall & Anderson, Boilermakers 1959. Details. First experience of industrial action, Apprentices' Strike. Details. Reference Lord McDonald; Jimmy Reid. Early experience under protestant bigot, being beaten up by him. Own role in Apprentices Strike. Soon giving speeches, leading others, some much older. First experience of leadership. Details re mechanism, details of timing of strike, reaction of bosses. Move to another firm. Treasurer of Apprentices' Association. Marked out as trouble maker. Outcome of strike. Official union people horrified at apprentices going on strike. Explains own attitude. Reference Gus McDonald.
Tape 2 Side A Interest in art started with borrowing Gaugin painting from Motherwell Library, a Carnegie Trust, library. Recollection of reaction of mother and priest uncle. Hostile reaction of workmate, when an apprentice, to interest in painting. Lifelong enjoyment of galleries Explanation of attitude to art. Has always read widely. Not a keen student of politics. Political attitudes inbred. Background to joining Pots Castles & Williamsons, Boilermakers (1960). Firm specialised in sugar refining industry. Details. Description of typical day, including night school doing draughtsmanship etc. Apprenticeship was 5 years. Details. Explanation of skills in boilermaking. Boilermakers' Society the last old tradesmen union. Description of working conditions. Always interested in politics. Explains. Recalls Civics instruction. Never joined a party but was leftish. Feelings about communists - they worked the hardest, did the meetings etc. Reference Jimmy Reid; McDonald. Recalls meetings. Glasgow/Allerton was a political melting pot. Attitude of Labour people. Reference Joe Stalin. 1963 Pots Castles & Williamsons taken over by Blairs, finished apprenticeship with them. Elected Apprentices' Shop Steward in Blairs. Details of duties. Own attitude re unions. Had worst group of employers the world had ever known. Explains concept of duties. Own feeling at the time - need for modern management attitudes. Situation in UK now. Never saw mechanisation as a threat (to size of workforce). Explains. Big shipyards were run by family dynasties. Opinion of film I'm All Right Jack. Worked for Youngs for a year. 1966 Marriage to Lorna Margot Wilson. Details. Brief periods in insurance, bakery in Holland, singing in pubs.
Tape 2 Side B Brief musical career as singer. 1973 Job with Santa Fe, drilling contractors, as welder. Details re Santa Fe. Work on Blue Water III 'Black Pig', one of first platforms to start producing in (later) Thistle field. Block operated by Signal Oil. Details. Upsurge of Scottish nationalism at time of Wilson/Labour Government. Details re Burmah situation. Description of Blue Water III, offshore living conditions, working routine, catering. Little effort by American companies to make work places good. Very little privacy. Member of the Boilermakers' Society. Details. Union took no interest in workers offshore. Feeling that oil industry would not last. Labour Government expected BP to be the operator with BNOC, like Statoil, Norway. Margaret Thatcher changed that. Unions didn't take oil industry seriously. One paid Boilermakers' Society, Jim McCartney, covered area Wick to Arbroath. Details. Explanation of movement of ship yard workers north, influence of Government policy. Importance of shipyard-type/boilermaker skills to oil industry. Thousands working in Sullom Voe, Ardesier and offshore, yet only one Boilermakers' Society official. Perceptions of trade unions at the time not good. Comparison of UK North Sea working conditions at the time with Norwegian conditions, number of unemployed. Hard core of ex-shipyard employees ran union. Unions saw oil industry as a short term thing. When on Blue Water III, most British workers out there had country background, obedient to their employers. Description of typical day's work routine on platform, shifts, safety precautions, 'pay areas', drills, leisure activities. No alcohol on American rigs. Friendships with early colleagues.
Tape 3 Side A 1973 Blue Water III (cont'd): Recollection of people in charge of American drilling rigs, tool pushers, Sam Hood, Everitt Bennett from Louisiana. They didn't believe in trade unions. Details. Pressure on tool pushers, drillers to produce. Details. Recollection of conversation with driller, Harry Lee Walton, leading to a nearly violent confrontation. Comments on forms of behaviour in UK. People learned to give each other space, nowhere to go. Authority structure very hierarchical. Feelings about working under pressure, bullies. Attitude to union/non-union workers. Relationship between Scots and Americans. Worked with Santa Fe c2 years. Details re weather at sea. Mostly bad weather. Never fearful for safety. Recollection of Aberdeen in 1973, first time there, effect of arrival of oil industry. Effect of working routine on family life. Often problems with authority, discipline in families with father away so much. Never felt distanced from children in own work. Details. No counselling in early days onshore or offshore. 1973 Waage I rig. Work not affected by crude oil price rise. Comments on situation. Details re own pay rate, working hours, call-outs. Good money. Explains own arrangements with Lorna. Saw huge wastage in oil companies. Government closed eyes to it, said 'get oil out'. Reference balance of payments problem. Recollection of negative attitude to prospect of oil in Scotland when at school. Recalls amount of money being spent (in 1970s) eg on expenses. (Oil exploration) very hard on men and materials. Huge rewards for drillers. Waage I highest paying rig in 1978. Details.
Tape 3 Side B Was a Labour supporter, but took a while to start thinking politically about job, society etc. Compares Waage I and Blue Water III. Reference Sam Hood, senior Tool Pusher. Story illustrating authority structure between (marine) skipper and tool pusher on self-propelled rig. Norwegians call Americans 'blue eyed Arabs'. Attitude of Norwegians to their people, and to their oil - both national assets. Status of Barge Engineer on a vessel that didn't move under its own power. Explanation of rig crew working structure, roles of Tool Pusher (foreman), Night Pusher, Drillers, Roughnecks, Roustabouts, Crane Driver, Welder, Derrickman. Expressions used offshore. 1975 Venture I, Venture II of Dixilyn Drilling. Worked on Argyll Field, drilled by Hamilton Brothers, details re production facility, sub-sea connections, Transworld 58. First producing platform in North Sea in 1975. Work on Thistle Field. 2 deaths of divers in Thistle field, different times, same type of operation, both avoidable. Details. Divers made big bucks. Huge mortality rate of crane drivers. Explanation of general cause of accidents. Details re safety standards. In North Sea safety run by Government department that was in charge of production. Conflict of interest. Recollection of boat drills, safety drills, but nowhere to go with safety problems. Department of Energy no help. Details. Background to Dixilyn Drilling. Description of Venture I, semisubmersible drilling rig. In Finland for its completion. Details re Blue Water III, Waage I, jackups, drilling in deep water. Maintenance welder on Venture I. No Boilermakers' Society (union) support. Most crew labourers which companies preferred. 250
Tape 4 Side A 1975-76 Offshore workers didn't come under the law (Health & Safety at Work Act) because they were outside 12 mile limit, but did pay taxes. Explains. Not covered by laws on wrongful dismissal. This law changed. Details re own work in Finland, Kiel (Germany). Helicopters run by Bristows, British Airways. Details re 1975 strike re Peter Stopler, Drill Superintendent who fired a worker. Details re use of a drilling motion compensator. Canadians brought in relatives to work, Scottish workers fired. British workers regarded as expendable. 1975 strike led to end of career as rig welder on semi-submersibles, jackups. Reason for changing job from Santa Fe to Dixilyn Drilling. Worked in Finland on completion of Venture I. Details. Lot of workers offshore had no experience in industry, not aware of dangers etc. Farmers a bit better than others. Explains. Massive amount of serious injuries in such an extreme environment. Describes rig crew: driller, assistant driller, derrick man, roughnecks, roustabouts, crane driver. Worked week on/week off. Own crew was only one to have injury-free year. 1975 Strike: Canadian ex-land driller, Peter Stopler, caused problem. Details re cause of strike. Describes purpose and use of motion compensator (device which allows continuous drilling in rough sea). Details of damage to drill string. Own organisation of meeting about the firing, leading to industrial action. Accusation to strikers of mutiny. Own role in situation. Reference Barge Engineer. Second crew joined strike. Outcome of strike. Own warning at the time to management. Their reaction.
Tape 5 Side A Safety standards (cont'd): Further comments on Piper Alpha, reasons for the explosion, add-on valves that should have been on sea bed. Same situation exists now. An engineer who identified the problem on Piper B was fired. Recollection of own reaction to disaster. Embarrassment of oil companies. More accent put on safety procedures, meetings etc. Safety Reps didn't come into being until after the enquiry. Was probably first Safety Rep under new legislation in North Sea, first to get fired. Details re appointment on Brent Bravo, 1989. Recollection of Margaret Thatcher, Armand Hammer coming to the hospital (in Aberdeen). Neither Margaret Thatcher's nor Tony Blair's governments wanting trade union interference in North Sea. Necessary to look to Europe to get legislation to protect North Sea workers. Comments on Tony Benn's impact re IUOOC. Need for stronger legislation, union involvement as a condition of license. Details. Benn was a disappointed man, genuine in his efforts. He knew that safety shouldn't be in same hands as production. After Piper Alpha, worked on Brents. Circumstances leading to being fired and blacked in 1990. 1989 OILC set up, a few weeks after Piper Alpha, organised strike re union representation etc. Details. This led to 1990 strike. Beginning of OILC was in AEEU. Reference to Ronnie McDonald, Tommy Lafferty, Bear Facts publication. Recalls meeting after Piper, speaking, own decision to be involved in OILC. Details re origin of name, OILC purpose etc. Reference to 1979 unreported strike.
Tape 5 Side B Background to 1979 Strike. Details re difficult working routine, Norwegian conditions, pay, time off. Recollection of Tony Benn, British Government's need for income from oil, Power of American banks. Dissatisfaction of workers with trade union backgrounds, ex-shipyard workers etc. Other (non-union) workers did not react to situation - not experienced in how to survive in industrialised society. Unable to get them on side. Details re own role in running 13-week strike involving 7-9000 workers. Background to situation. Reference to Aberdeen Trades Council. Strike doomed from the start. Explains difference between traditional attitude of strikers and North Sea workers who had to settle (quickly). Necessary to strike offshore, get into (oil companies') territory. Unsatisfactory nature of Hook-Up Agreement - which ran out at first production of oil, after which no union representation on rig. Problem being outside 12-mile limit. Sense of union-Government compliance, bad effect on frontline workers. Strike signalled end of trade union involvement in North Sea. Details. Attitude of Boilermakers' Society. Policy made between union headquarters and 10 Downing Street. Never considered not being a trade unionist or at advancement in trade union movement, was a foot soldier. Had no wages during strike. Recalls support for wife, children. Reference Margaret Thatcher. Comparison of strike with normal (onshore) strikes. Impossibility of picketing a distant oil rig. No visible strike base. Strike failed miserably to have any effect. Details re picketing of road to airport/heliport. Reaction of people of Aberdeen to strike. Media coverage minimal. Details.
Tape 6 Side A 1979 Strike (cont'd): Questions asked re lack of media coverage (in spite of) big meetings, deputations to Parliament, discussions with political leaders. Explanation of cause of strike, situation re lack of time with family. Effect of (oil industry working patterns) on marriages. Comparison with normal strike causes. Attitude held towards Norwegian workers. Little dialogue with companies during period of strike. Details. Effect on own company. Only real players in North Sea - the operators. Contractors don't count. Details. Leader of strike never worked offshore again. People didn't realise there was no hope from the start. Reason why strike not successful - lack of understanding of the environment. Own view re non-reporting by media. Possibility of Government intervention, 'D' Notice. Unlikely to happen today. Details. Nobody arrested during illegal early morning pickets at airport, hardly anything in the paper. Press was mainly right wing, other smaller strikes well reported. Strike made invisible. Opinion of Minister for Energy, Anthony Wedgewood Benn. Strike just died. Details. The end of trade unionism in the North Sea. End of strike not reported. Working time arrangements changed c1 year later - but union didn't win agreement at the time. Reference to Murchison platform. Explanation why casualty of strike was trade union movement. While Norwegians, with strong trade unions, got improved conditions, British worker stood still. A shameful story.
Tape 6 Side B Feelings about 1979 election result. Government totally orientated to oil companies. Feelings about Labour Government. Explanation of change in own political attitudes from Labour Scottish Nationalist. Trade union movement rolled over (under Conservatives). Details re Norway's use of oil resources, compares with situation in Britain, unemployment, destruction of industry, squandering. Oil companies, banks did well. Reference to road between Aberdeen/Inverness. No dramatic changes offshore with Conservative Government but problem of people's feeling of having less influence, loss of confidence in trade unions etc. Further comparison with Norwegian situation. Own work on small contracts; in one year had 10 different employers. Reference to fishing industry in Aberdeen. 1980 Collapse of Alexander Heland rig. Reaction to this. Description of own work offshore putting in pipes, maintenance, steel construction etc. 1983 Bear Facts publication. Attitude of Ronnie McDonald. 1980s Long period of wage cuts, lowering standards. Low level of union representation. Situation worked well for oil companies. Catalyst of Piper made people realise their life was on the line. Effect of Thatcher ideology, drop in union membership, weakness of unions. Some people did try to do things, eg Tommy Lafferty, AEU, but controlled by London Head Office policy etc. Top union people became too comfortable. Same situation today. Move to right in unions. Details. Comments on AEEU. Domestic life (during 1980s) not greatly affected. Based in Aberdeen, went offshore for 2-3 weeks at a time. Description of conditions offshore. Real problem the wind. 1984 Miners' Strike: problem with Arthur Scargill. Details.
Tape 7 Side A 1984 Miners Strike: Arthur Scargill made mistakes. Details. MI6 brought them down, infiltrated union. Scargill's aim was to bring down the Government. Comparison of him with Joe Gormley. Margaret Thatcher's campaign to destroy trade union movement. Reference Special Forces; propaganda. Collections taken for the miners. Feelings about situation. Comments on offshore workers' Hook-Up Agreement, acceptance by unions of de-recognition element. Impact of CRINE (Cost Reduction In the New Era). Everything leaner and meaner. Divers - most construction workers had little contact with them because of their work routine. Many came from the forces. Details re their routine, decompressing etc. Effect of Chinook disaster (1986); workers', wives' reaction. Comparison of Shell people with others. Gives example of social distinction offshore with BP people. Description of routine when working offshore. Recollection of hearing about Piper Alpha disaster (1988). Ronnie McDonald organised meeting at Aberdeen Trades Council. Reference AEU; Tommy Lafferty. Details re joining commttee. Attitude of operators to complaints re safety offshore. Unsafe practices the norm (before Piper). Construction offshore expensive, risks taken to get job done quickly. People working on Piper knew it was dangerous. Details. Recollection of a big flare blowing back on the deck of Piper Alpha, setting fire to helideck etc in c1987. Reaction of an Occidental boss. Post-Piper meeting, one of great anger. IUOOC got involved but this ended up with people fighting one another. Ronnie McDonald's role steering things. OILC started, collections, office organised etc. Details re aim, status, formation of OILC. Reason for OILC's power.
Tape 7 Side B OILC (cont'd): Further details re first days. Neil Rothnie, mud engineer, came along with idea of producing a paper. Decision taken to back him and pay him. Funds set aside to produce Blowout. Details re costs, first issues etc. OILC had representatives who were holding meetings on almost every platform. Main meetings in Glasgow. Office in Aberdeen. Own involvement on Brent fields, organising meetings. Ronnie McDonald's role. Oil companies had a collective guilt, had to be tolerant. Media interest in OILC. Knew people who died on Piper, eg Bobby Adams, ex-trawlerman. Details. Reference memorial statue. Reference survivor Bill Burn. Ronnie McDonald*s skills, commitment to OILC. Details. Lorna Robertson's role. Details re financing arrangements etc. Comparison of Piper Alpha and Alexander Heland disaster situations; British and Norwegian attitudes to Chinook helicopter. Links between OILC and politicians Wedgie Benn, Frank Doran. Reference to Charles Woolfson, IUOOC. Conservative politicians anti-OILC. Reference to Raymond Robertson. Reference to Saddam Hussein. Support from Alex Salmond. Details re OILC's first year, first action 1989. Explanation of importance of taking control of bridge between rig and flotel (in offshore strike). Details re BP Forties situation involving OILC. Reference Tommy Lafferty; Frank Doran. Attended Piper Alpha enquiry. It didn't solve any problems. Details. Reference Paddy Ashdown. Conclusions re safety arrangements. OILC not happy with outcome. Reference Instrument 971 re Safety Reps -a weakened down version of what rights would be onshore. Explains situation in factories in Aberdeen. In spite of enquiry, work of OILC was still to be done.
Tape 8 Side A 1989 Post Cullen Report: Explanation of position of OILC re possibility of acting outside anti-trade union legislation when going on strike. Consequences of Hook-Up Agreement, legal situation. Comparison of rights of workers onshore and offshore re safety, protection of the law etc. Details re attitude of Trade Unions to signing Hook-Up Agreement. Main unions reneged on this. Details. Reaction of trade unionists. OILC forced to become a recognised trade union with one function: to look after interests of people working in offshore industry. Reference documentation re individuals making money out of situation. Reference Margaret Thatcher. Amalgamation between AEU and EPTU. EPTU not a democratic union. Details. Reference MSF. Details re post-1979 union situation. Reference Arthur Scargill. History of non-democratic AEEU leadership. Reference Murdoch; Sun newspaper. Opinion of situation in TUC. OILC courted by AEEU. AEEU attitude to Blowout, their tactics. Current lack of political education. Comments on MI6 investigations, infiltration. Reference to Arthur Scargill's second in charge. Own experience of being monitored by MI6. Reference Ronnie McDonald. Recollection of Mobil Core Team concept which lasted about 1 year. Attitude of oil companies - minimal trade union involvement. Comments on Shell dropping black list, handing them to contractors. Comparison of proportions of people working for oil companies and contractors in UK, Norway. Own experience of this. Own work with small contractors on floating rigs. Almost never employed by a major contractor again. Details. Blowout: Background to its development, involvement of Neil Rothnie, mud engineer. Details re costs, sources of funding.
Tape 8 Side B Blowout (cont'd): Details re ownership, funding, contributors; Neil Rothnie's role, attitude, changes to situation. Reference Labour Party conference in Dundee. Explanation of outside perception of split in OILC. Some damage, not terminal. Episode symptomatic of different approaches to OILC. Details. First major difficulty for OILC. Feelings re losing Rothnie. Explanation of what he had done with Blowout. Impact, purpose of Striking Out. Feelings about OILC's function - to get the right to represent people. Details. Oil companies have chosen which organisation will represent the men - not OILC. OILC tries not to get involved in battle. Explains. Early 1990s OILC courted by Miners' Union. Details. Feelings re idea, logic of energy union. Reference Arthur Scargill. Reaction of TUC - threat to put Miners' Union out of TUC. Main player in that situation was AEEU. Then AEEU started courting OILC. Comments on Arthur Scargill, Jimmy Airlie, AEU, attitude of academics. Charles Woolfson came to be a 'fly on the wall' after Piper Alpha. Recollection of an engineer, trouble shooter, who discovered a flaw in Piper B in gas compression area, got fired. He was later employed by Shell, discovered a basic flaw, predicted an outcome, fired. He was proved right. Details. Comments on his technical data, helpful to OILC. Reference television programme Whistleblower. Blowout has evolved. Details. It still serves its main purpose. Mentions different industry environment.
Tape 9 Side A Role played by Tony Benn re establishment of IUOOC (Inter-Union Offshore Oil Committee), details re Committee, reason for potential not being realised. Opinion re need for a federation. Recollection, as OILC member, of recruiting members of various unions; possibility of deal for North Sea agreement, reason for failure. Original initiative for IUOOC. Background to 1990 'Summer of Discontent'. Details re previous symbolic strike for union recognition in Brent (1989); tactics used involving takeover of installation. Role of Ian Wood. Difficulty meeting with offshore workers because of dispersed nature of industry. Details re Amoco Montrose situation, accidents etc. Reason for deciding on summer actions. Feelings about meetings held, attitude of oil companies. Recollection of co-option to IUOOC, reasons for being banned from meeting. Clarification re need for post-hookup recognition. Details re Brent Spar helicopter accident, own first contact about this made with OILC office; own actions at Aberdeen airport re possibility of pre-emptive strike because of accident which was not wanted.
Tape 9 side B: Details re David McGillivray, TGWU. Details re Continental Shelf Agreement (OILC policy) which never eventuated, still on agenda. Details re AEEU agreement re representation by unions chosen by oil companies. Background to 1990 'Summer of Discontent'. Plans to close FLAGS pipeline using emergency shutdown valves, preparation. Details re wrong placement of ESVs on Piper Alpha. Sequence of events leading to strike on Brent Bravo, own role seeing people stayed on strike. Reaction of management, OIM (Offshore Installation Manager). Own coordinating position on platform, need to watch for boredom, organisation of meetings, entertainment. Details re media coverage (at time of Saddam Hussein's taking over Kuwait), reaction of Conservative MPs. Explanation of plans, duration of strike, difficulties. Reaction of oil companies to activists. Problems facing oil companies; involvement of courts. Details re morale, numbers of people striking, platforms involved, reasons for sending some people ashore. Impact of strike on own personal situation, preparation. Attitude of Shell employees on board. Details re washing arrangements, food, telephones. Strikers' support for OILC aims. Own feelings re strike, own role. Recollection of surprises re supporters; support for 2 girls aboard. Coordinating media role of Ronnie McDonald. Details re communication with shore, and with other platforms using tapes because of phone cutoff. Outcome of court case re strike in Edinburgh, OILC decision to keep on legal side, go ashore. Reaction of people to strike, strikers' feelings afterwards. Details re outcome, collapse of industrial action, signing of hookup agreement by union - a 'downer'. Attitude of unions.
Tape 10 Side A Signing of hookup agreement by official unions the 'kiss of death'. Details re their previous apparent support. Own feelings about situation. Decision to turn OILC into a union. Outcome for activists - not allowed back offshore. Own situation - work in office, job onshore in Invergordon; made (union) Deputy Convenor of OILC. Attitude of others. Reaction in OILC to situation. Reaction of Ronnie McDonald to union signing Hook-Up agreement. Details re OILC becoming a union, level of support. Explanation of media interest in OILC. Feelings re state of trade union movement. Role of unions and bad law. Nature of OILC/media relations, Ronnie McDonald's skill. Details re later work offshore etc. Effect of situation on earning capacity, home life. Appointment as Deputy Secretary, OILC. Details of involvement. Later work with onshore company. Reaction to advent of Labour Government (1997). Recollection of transition from Ronnie McDonald to Jake Molloy. Characterisation of OILC since formation. Interest of other unions in OILC. Details re possibility of link with MSF, reason for failure of merger. Reference to Arthur Scargill. Feelings about future of Aberdeen after the oil, likely moves of American companies. |