| Description | Interview length: 1hr 04min 31secs
Interview Summary: Allison Hay, born 1954, current occupation is a Domestic. Single, no children. Mother was fostered. Maternal step-grandfather was a farmer, maternal step-grandmother was a housewife. Paternal grandfather was a haulage contracter and paternal grandmother was a housewife. Father worked for grandfather as a lorry driver. Mother was a housewife then became a cook at the Atholl Hotel in Aberdeen. Father deceased 1981, mother deceased in 2001. Born at Summerhill Hospital, Aberdeen. Grew up in current home. Attended Kingswood Infants School, Quarry Hill Primary and Northfield Secondary. Left school in 1969, aged 15, with no qualifications. Initially worked in Marks and Spencers as a sales assistant between 1969 and 1975. Moved to Spain and had various jobs until returning home in 1980 due to father's ill-health. Has 3 brothers and 1 sister. Eldest brother works for the council, second oldest works offshore, third oldest works for Petrofac onshore, sister is a school cook. Worked at the Atholl Hotel between 1980 and 1983 as a waitress, then returned to Spain for 7 months as a nanny. Returned to UK Christmas 1983 and was unemployed claiming dole until February 1984. Describes her response to an advert for Sodexho offshore catering, the interview process, the safety RGIT course. Recalls her first impressions of MCP-01, helicopter transport and her female colleagues. Describes life onboard MCP-01. Recalls feeling self-conscious and intimidated by men onboard. Worked in the laundry for 12 hour shifts. Describes routine in the laundry and other general cleaning jobs. Recalls work routines in the mess. Remembers that friends and family were shocked that she worked offshore. Earned over £400 for two weeks offshore in 1984, considered this to be twice the amount she earned onshore. Mother stopped work as she was earning enough to keep the house. Describes daily timings, routine and recreation facilities offshore onboard MCP-01. Describes her re-allocation to different jobs and the new tasks she undertook when cabin cleaning, general cleaning etc… Describes her transfer to Bourbon Dolphin as MCP-01 was drawn down. Left MCP-01 in 1982, and was moved to various other rigs. Recalls the pay did increase as time went by. Detested having to show films in the recreation room and was routinely jeered and bawled at. Refused to be the projectionist and avoided this type of overtime. Discusses relationships between personnel onboard MCP-01. Denies ever having a relationship with any colleagues or crew offshore. Believes the management would have frowned upon relationships offshore. Moved from MCP-01 to the John Shaw drilling rig, but refused to return due to the level of dirt and squalor onboard. Then moved to the Conico Murchison platform. Compares this to MCP-01 and the John Shaw. Stayed on Murchison between 1993 and 2002. Recalls the names of colleagues onboard Murchison. Was a member of a union, but stopped membership after a dispute in which she considered that the union did not help the crew. Was involved in a 1 day strike onboard MCP-01, felt she was bullied into joining the industrial action as she wanted to work on. Recalls bad weather onboard platforms and occasional large waves striking the platforms. Describes how many of the crew would come to her to talk over problems and discuss relationship issues, found this occasionally annoying. After working offshore for 18 years, decided to leave due to financial stability, and an impending RGIT course which she dreaded. Returned to work at Marks & Spencers but considered this dull after offshore work and moved to Foresterhill Hospital as a cleaner and domestic. Considers that the Murchison had the highest ratio of female to male crew members. Describes recreational competitions in darts, pool etc… Often used to go up on deck to get fresh air in the evening with a female colleague. Describes crew members who misinterpreted conversations as her being interested in relationships, found this frustrating and annoying; made making friends difficult. Considers MCP-01 to be the best place she has worked due to the family atmosphere.
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