Interviewer(S): S. Wiltz. Lafayette, LA

Affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Born in 1942, Ronnie Miguez was raised in Iberia Parish; he spent most of his school years in New Iberia, living with his grandparents, but went to middle school in Weeks Island. His father did a number of jobs, but spent 27 years doing carpentry work for a briquette plant. After graduating high school in 1962, he spent a few months working as a butcher, before getting a job with Peanut Well Service as a derrick hand off Avery Island. After two weeks he thought he could do better than that job and went to work for Weston Auto, but after six months of that he found it was not enough to support his family. Over the next few yeas he worked for Wilson Supply in Houma and Harvey, and for Schlumberger in Broussard. With Schlumberger he worked as a hot shot driver and was appointed liaison to the company grievance committee. After being fired, he spent three years doing work with floor covering. Since 1975 he has done contract drilling and construction work as a crane operator for a variety of companies both in the U.S. and abroad. Currently he operates a crane for Fluid Crane out of New Iberia. He describes how politics eventually led to his termination with Schlumberger. He also discusses safety and accidents offshore, and how some company men continue to use intimidation to get workers to do unsafe things. He talks at length about life on the rig in terms of horsing around, harassment, drugs, and alcohol.