File 3 - Interview with Isabella Martin, pieceworker, sewing machinist.

1 digital audio file (duration 6 minutes 34 seconds), 1 Word file

Recording and transcript of Rebekah Russell in conversation with Isabella Martin on 1 October 2014. Isabella Martin was born 12/08/37 and lived in Springburn. A pieceworker and sewing machinist in the garment trade for much of her working life, she retired before the closure of the Teachers Whiskey Plant.

Time-coded summary:

[00:00:00] Introductions.
[00.00.18] Tells of working since leaving school as a [sewing] machinist in Royston, then as an employee of Teachers Whiskey Bond, during the period 1960-1990.
[00:00:58] Comments that she retired just prior to closure of Teachers Whiskey factory.
[00:01:08] Comments that there was little if any change to personal working conditions due to factory closures in Sprinburn area.
[00:01:19] Informs that they were a day shift worker.
[00:01:26] Informs that neither she nor husband ever lost their jobs or were out of work.
[00:01:32] Describes average day in family home. Informs that husband was a shift worker with Marinite, Petershill Road which then had changed its name to Cape [Industrial], working with asbestos.
[00:02:10] Comments that there were no health problems in the family during that period, only now.
[00:02:22] Tells of negative impact upon Springburn of Margaret Thatcher government.
[00:02:45] Comments that her job was not specifically affected.
[00:02:49] Agrees with interviewer that there was/is an attitude that women are "mothers first then workers second".
[00:02:57] Describes routine of juggling work and childcare commitments as working mother.
[00:03:32] Mentions social aspects of working, performance related pay as machinist, and hard work of Teachers Whisky Bond.
[00:04:02] Tells of mass unemployment in Springburn after Teachers Whiskey Bond factory and Springburn locomotive factories were closed down.
[00:04:20] Describes feeling lucky that family life was not affected by closures.
[00:04:42] Informs has worked all adult life and now attends ‘Alive & Kicking’ project.
[00:05:05] Agrees with interviewer there was loss of community in Springburn after local factory closures. Comments it was worse in beginning of closures [1980s] than in 1990s.
[00:05:38] Comments attitude to work did not change after job losses and had worked both part-time and full-time as working mother during this time.
[00:06:00] Remarks had preference for part-time work.

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• English

1 digital audio file (mp3), 1 digital text file of transcript (MS Word document)