Res.7.26 Note on a discussion with a resident about Granton Gasworks, 31 July 1962

There is some discussion about organisational structure. There are day workers and shift workers. The shift workers are mainly those who have grown up in the gasworks. There is a formal and informal structure, at times of crises certan people come forward and they stand out and are noticed afterwards. The operations are not continuously dangerous but there are critical moments in the process and dangers to avoid e.g. they must not allow the gasholder to become empty and they must not allow the calorific value of the gas to fall below a certain point otherwise they are fined. They mustn't allow foul gas to be put out or they are fined. There has been a management reorganisation since nationalisation, at first there was a centralisation locally and subsequently there has been a further centralisation whereby Scotland has been divided into three divisions. As a result of this process some of the job titles don't make much sense. The resident knows an employee of Fleming's Inkworks and there is some discussion of the shift patterns there, he knows men who have refused better paid positions because it would mean leaving their shift group. Annual holidays are arranged in seven periods divided among seven groups, so a man can tell his holiday dates seven years ahead. Running regular shifts is the perfect opportunity to run a second job and many do - smallholdings, deliveries, insurance books - the gasworks pays less than average but second jobs are often more to do with providing an outlet for skills and capacties not utilised.