Anne Matte Strandløkken Shift leader, weaving department Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik September 2013

I've been fully employed here since 1996. Before that I was working part time for one year in different departments in the factory. But ever since I got a full time job I have worked in the weaving department. It was quite by chance that I started at the mill. My brother worked here at the time and he fixed a job for me. He does not work here any more. My sister actually worked here for a few years too, and my mother was in inspection and repair department sixty years ago, before she got married. I quite soon became interested after I started. All I know about textiles I have learned here. I've had other jobs too, but it has not been the same. There are many qualities, patterns and colours that I like to work with. I can only answer for myself, but I would think that you get an interest in what you are doing, if you are doing it every day.

In the weaving department we get the yarn from the yarn storage, but it comes from the spinning and the winding department. The winding is the department before the weaving on the production line. Or perhaps the dyeing department, if the yarn is purchased and dyed on cones. Warps we get from the warp makers, which is part of our department. We have a production plan that we are all supposed to follow, so most of the time the yarn we use comes down from storage when we need it. It happens by itself if they follow their schedule. But if not, then I run upstairs to get it, if that is needed. It's not more complicated than that. I go straight on.

When I started here we used old projectile looms. Not digital or anything, nothing other than the mechanical ones. There were punch cards on jacquards. They were gone pretty quickly after I started. Then we used diskettes with the patterns stored on them. And now that is gone too. The new machines are much faster. But it does not mean that it is necessarily less work with them. However, they are more efficient, and now there are almost infinite possibilities with the jacquard. It was more limited before.

We work two shifts every other week, early and late, so I'm used to that. I've done it all these years except for a period I worked only night shifts. When we had three shifts, another colleague and I worked only at night. First shift begins at five forty-five in the morning, but I'm here at half past five because I am the shift leader. That's fine except I never get used to getting up at four in the morning. It's torture. When I arrive in the morning I open the doors, I turn on all the equipment and I get everything ready. I am responsible for ensuring that the right things are being done during the shift. I must have control and know at all times what we are weaving in all the looms. I run looms too, so I have shift responsibility on the side.

Sometimes I think about my own knowledge. I feel that I do a good job and that I really know what I'm doing. I'm proud in a way and I feel like I accomplish something. I get good feedback, and it's good to hear it said out loud. Everyone needs that. And I'm interested in that things go well. Now I've been here so long that I know where everything is supposed to be, to put it that way.

What I have noticed through the years, with people who start working here, is that they either quit after a few weeks or so, or they stay for years. We notice this with everyone who begins. Either they find out pretty soon that this is not something for them, or they kind of just know that this is the place they should be. It is very much either or. You notice pretty quickly if you fit in or not. Maybe we are a bit quirky, and a very special group of people, and perhaps not everyone is happy having us as colleagues. It is perhaps a little either or too. But I think it is nice down here in the weaving department. For me it is a very important reason for working here so long, that I am very fond of my colleagues. Those who have worked with me for years, I see almost more of them than anyone else. It's almost like a family.