Oral History collection: David Thomas (born 2 Nov. 1937, Corporation Road, Port Talbot, steel worker, Port Talbot Steelworks) interviewed by Bleddyn Penny about life in Port Talbot and working life in the steelworks

[00:00:01] Personal Details: David Thomas (DT), b Port Talbot 2/11/37. [00:00:37] War: Bombing (Port Talbot collateral damage). [00:03:10] Education: Mountain School, left 15 in 1952, illness (Scarlet Fever), turned down art school. [00:05:18] Industry: Junior Operators in steelworks, various tasks - allocated depts., such as post dept (internal bus system). [00:06:18] Industry: DT dogsbody in Margam Melting Dept, Mr Mackay manager. [00:06:47] Industry: Impressions of steel works on 15 year old boy. [00:07:27] Industry: Accident, first day, window cleaner killed. [00:08:15] Industry: Accidents "quite common". [00:08:33] Industry: Most accidents: outside contractors, though ignorance of works - electricals. [00:09:02] Industry: No guards for machines. [00:09:28] Industry: Drawing Offices, plans for Abbey. [00:09:45] Industry: Printworks, part of old station, printing techniques. [00:10:31] Industry: Labour movements seemingly at random, no explanation. [00:10:54] Industry: c100 youngsters at works. [00:11:22] Education: SCoW provided schooling, at Margam - basics, Maths, English, etc, twice weekly, until 18. [00:12:21] Wages: Under 18 wages low. [00:13:11] Industry: Post National Service return to Abbey. [00:13:20] Industry: Hot sheet finishing, Abbey. [00:13:46] Industry: Steel rolling. [00:14:08] Industry: 10-12 20 year olds at Abbey, "pool" of labour in cold mill. [00:14:22] Industry: Ross Carrier, machine for picking up bundles of steel - "follower". [00:15:38] Industry: Shears, cutting sheets. [00:16:22] Industry: Shift system, 8 hours, Mon-Fri, later Continental, including weekends. [00:18:55] Industry: Cold mill - good money, cleaner. [00:19:45] Industry: Different sections, different conditions & prospect. [00:20:28] Industry: Inspection Dept: cold roll products customer-based, quality vital. [00:21:08] Industry: Description of sheet inspection. [00:22:06] Industry: Sheet tolerances of customers: 2mm width, 5mm length. [00:22:41] Industry: Cutting techniques. [00:22:59] Industry: Abbey sheet qualities & grades. [00:23:44] Industry: Metallurgical checking separate, for ductility, etc. [00:24:05] Industry: 52 reasons work could be rejected. [00:24:09] Industry: Cold reduced material. [00:24:28] Industry: High rejection rates "sky high". [00:24:45] Industry: 6 week process, hot metal to cold rolled finished product. [00:24:59] Industry: 6000t rolled, to fulfil 1000t order. [00:25:25] Industry: Multiple processes = high rejection rates. [00:26:35] Industry: "Pickups" - dents, hair, paper. [00:26:45] Industry: Promotions in Inspection Dept. [00:28:47] Industry: Promotions: "Dead Man's Shoes", retirements. [00:29:09] Wages: Wages based on tonnage, bonus on top of flat rate. [00:29:32] Wages: DT instituted payment per sheet, in 1980s. [00:30:14] Industry: 1980s changes to meet competition. [00:31:01] Industry: Cutter blade technique changes, flexible practices, team work rather than individuals. [00:32:24] Wages: Bonuses c20-25% of wages. [00:32:52] Industry: No micro-management, foreman did most stuff. [00:34:07] Industry: 1980s changes, Japanese inspired (Honda), high rejection rate of steel. [00:36:32] Industry: DT's move into management: job security in inspectorate, money. [00:37:18] Industry: JT's management technique. [00:37:50] Industry: Introduction of computers. [00:38:29] Industry: Accident, JT nearly killed. [00:39:45] Industry: Early computers. [00:40:42] Industry: JT: Asst Chief Inspector, then early retirement at 55, generous package. [00:42:26] Industry: Work of Asst Chief Inspector: ceiling, without degree in metallurgy. [00:43:28] Industry: Inspectorate had to respond to problems of customers everywhere, so travel abroad. [00:43:52] Industry: German customer problems and solution (local). [00:45:18] Industry: Steel industry: good money. [00:47:44] Industry: Acquisition of knowledge. [00:48:32] Industry: Changes in steel industry - better use of fewer workers. [00:49:00] Industry: Overmanning. [00:50:31] Industry: Need for relief men, to maintain quality on long shifts, or cover absentees. [00:52:10] Industry: White collar as well as blue collar cuts. [00:52:31] Industry: Clocking in cards: Time Office, 5 staff. [00:52:58] Industry: Rule evasions and fiddles with clock cards, probably widespread. [00:54:10] Industry: Works security procedures: ID cards, photos. [00:55:39] Housing: Sandfields Estate: bathrooms, inside toilets, electricity. [00:57:04] Sandfields: Less close knit than old town. [00:58:06] Transport: Old Sandfields: one car owner in street (Ozzie Morris, comedian). [00:59:10] Transport: 3 bus services from Sandfields estate to works. [00:59:21] Transport: Bus terminus on site of present Aldi store. [00:62:59] Industry: Many immigrants from Newport when steelworks established, industrial expertise. [00:63:10] Port Talbot: Steelworks changed demography. [00:65:27] Leisure: SCoW recreation facilities: sport, hobbies, club, club. [00:66:54] Unions: JT in TGWU (manual workers), "encouraged" to join, other unions for trades, and staff. [00:68:21] Industry: Industrial relations issues: redundancies, working practices, shift rates. [00:69:47] Unions: JT feels TGWU did OK job, union people "decent". [00:71:12] Unions: JT left TGWU when on staff, joined staff union, not proactive. [00:71:49] Industry: Strikes, justified, at SCoW/BSC. [00:72:08] Industry: 1980 steel strike, picketing of customer's sites. [00:73:42] Industry: 1980 strike: power struggle. [00:74:22] Unions: Inter-union relations. [00:75:44] Industry: 1968 nationalisation, SCoW becomes BSC: changes at top, not bottom. [00:77:07] Industry: JT: widespread view that state ownership better [leading questions on these issues]. [00:78:23] Industry: Privatisation: broader customer base, export orientated