Whenever you get oil workers together platform politics are never far away. You can be sure that at one point or another the conversation will turn to core crew workers vs the ad hoc freelancers. One is suited to a steady and plodding life on a single platform, putting in the years, trip after trip they come back and forth to the same place of work in the North Sea.

Money is made and core crew often tend to be married and have a vested interest in conforming to the 'Platform Groove' that is set out by the oil company they work for. To a lesser extent the OIM in charge also set's the tempo and work-ethic too. Set in their ways, cabins that are practically 2nd homes to the core crew are matched only by their little rituals for break-time and tea-break when 'certain' chairs are laid claim to by them. While they aren't as bombastic or extroverted as freelancer oil workers tend to be they are usually even-handed and cautious in their approach. After all they can't afford to be maverick renegades when their job is at stake, can they?

Along come the freelance oil workers! No platform is too big and no place to far for these guys. They are master to no man and are out to make money in this game. Usually much travelled around the North Sea platforms they have seen a variety of different ways and styles on the installations they've worked and lived on. With a fresh and bright attitude they can augment an existing platforms practices and get the job done at the same time. With a wrong and fiery attitude they may make for a tense and confrontational stay on board.

The Core Crew are often considered 'On The Books' which means they are listed as employee's and are more 'protected' from being down-manned and being made redundant. They are on less money than Freelancers are but enjoy certain perks and privileges on board their platform. During normal production when Freelancers are elsewhere they usually have their own cabin and a relaxed work routine. Once an influx of Freelance oil workers come aboard (usually during a shutdown) some will be taken off the platform and sent home on stand-by pay to make room for the newcomers. Apart from the Drill Crew (The mean machine workers of the platform) Core Crew are more sedentary and happy for the platform to run itself safety and efficiently.

The Freelancer's who work aboard Oil and Gas Platforms can be a mix of trades and disciplines. The Construction element of them are sometimes called 'North Sea Tigers' due to the dangerous nature of the work compared to ordinary oil workers (Drill Crew also claim this accolade though). Scaffolders, Riggers, Platers and Pipefitters are often pretty outspoken workers and their presence often raises the argument and clash of mindsets on which is better. The fully employed and looked after worker (but on less money and restricted) or the roving freelancer who earns more money during his flurry of contracts offshore (The Feast) and gets to see the world, but suffers during the dry spells of work (The Famine).

It can depend on many factors, not least how much work is being put to tender for the agencies to grab hold of. It also can vary on a persons ideology towards being free to choose work as and when they see fit or have a 'stable' but capped routine for steady work. Many often consider freelance folk to be right-wing conservative (due to no regular income and the non-unionised, independent nature of freelancing). While Core Crew employee's are often felt to be somewhat left-leaning socialists (static nature and steady income encouraging spending and taking things for granted). This is by no means a given thing and you can get a sliding scale of ideologies on both sides. It must be said though that the safety aspect driven by oil companies and delivered by a platforms core-crew is intrinsically bedded into them. Safety is often preached from the high pulpit from the OIM down to safety reps. This can sometimes grate the roving freelance contractor who often needs to do a difficult job yet feels restricted and constrained by paperwork, golden rules and dogma.

Nationalistic tendencies (usually anti EU) can be fairly high on both sides due to a complex mix of heavy-industry skill-sets, hydrocarbons being a tangible resource for the country and to use the resources conserve.

The physical, hands-on nature of the freelance work means the macho-man is alive and well too. Scaffolding, rigging, plating and pipefitting being examples of the macho-man work that takes place. Since the demise of resident construction crews on board oil and gas platforms the line between freelance and company men widened. An Us Vs Them mentality can resurface whenever there is a shutdown. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways. A classic example being the 'job-and-knock' philosophy ideal much vaunted by freelance oil workers. In this a worker who has finished enough jobs and tasks during the days (or nights) shift can 'knock-off' and retire to the accommodation module to relax and cease work for the remainder of the period until official break. If the time of day is after lunch-break then the job and knock means to knock-off completely.

The core crew management often take umbrage and dismay when this happens. They perceive the freelance workers to be 'their' guys for any task or menial duty until the shift ends officially at 1900 hrs (or 0700 hrs). If it means they are standing around on the jobsite until the end then so be it. Less taskmaster-orientated supervisor's will turn a blind eye to the job and knock as long as the workers keep a low profile and don't 'take the piss' by staying in the tea-shake for hours and hours on end! When this happens the 'broad brush' comes out and supervisor's start policing the bridge and tea-shack for skivers!

The core crew personnel can be fairly curt and aloof from visiting oil workers, although they do have some good reasons for being this way. The roving freelance oil worker is not always a pleasant one; a rough and tumble nature from a fair few can mean they are a bit brusque for the delicate production techs and office wallah's. A favourite chair of one of the core crew in a recreational lounge can be considered sacrosanct if an unsuspecting visitor sits on it. Core crew Feathers can be ruffled, bickering and arguing can ensure, fists and feathers then start flying etc. It's obviously not a good idea to start conflict and fighting offshore. Offenders face being NRB'd, although core crew tend to be shielded from an NRB involving freelance workers due to them wanting no trouble.

Some platforms are actually segregated so that core crew are completely separate from any visiting workers. Even certain internet terminals and phones are locked away for core crew use!