We are all very organised this evening. The next item of business is a member's business debate on motion 2865 in the name of Richard Leonard on the 30th anniversary of the workers' occupation of the caterpillar plant in Tannachside. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put, and I would ask those who wish to speak in the debate to please press the request-to-speak buttons I call on Richard Leonard to open the debate around seven minutes, please, Mr Leonard. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It's a great honour to serve the people as a member of this Parliament, and I can think of no greater honour than securing this, my very first member's debate in Parliament, to mark the 30th anniversary of the caterpillar occupation. We don't celebrate our history, labour history, working-class history, nearly enough, and through this Parliament I hope that we can remedy that. The story of the 103-day occupation, which began on 14 January 1987, carries with it many important lessons, and first and foremost it reminds us that we make our own history, that history is not predetermined. Secondly, it reminds us that fundamental social, economic and political change will come about when injustice is challenged from below. That challenge comes when working people have the confidence to reject the centuries-old indoctrination that there is no alternative and start at last to believe in themselves. I would like to begin by welcoming to Parliament today some of those working people who believed in themselves, who made history in a small corner of Lanarkshire and in so doing, lit a flame that still burns brightly and inspires and guides many of us three decades later. I would especially like to welcome with us in the public gallery today the convener, John Brannan, without Bunit, but still with a gleam in his eye, and to John Gillan and Bob Burroughs, central figures in the joint occupation committee then, and the caterpillar legacy group now. I would also like to extend a welcome on behalf of the whole of this Parliament to the women and men who directly and indirectly took part in and supported the caterpillar occupation who have joined us this afternoon. Deputy Presiding Officer, if you want a chapter in our history, which truly shows the value of trade unionism, of collective action and real solidarity, look no further than the actions of those brave workers who occupied the caterpillar plant in 1987, and if you want a chapter in our history, which truly shows the perils of a branch plant economy, an economy too dependent on foreign-owned multinationals, go and look at the actions of the caterpillar corporation in 1987. It was declared as a PWAF, a plant with a future, and yet within weeks the plant had no future. The company contrived a scorched earth policy, and all 1200 direct jobs were to go. It was a corporate strike of capital, no sign of a ballot. The workforce's response was immediate. They chose to gatecrash the company's press conference. They chose to padlock the gates of the factory. Most of all, they chose to fight. This was not an easy decision. We had had the minor strike, the whopping in Kining Park, lock-out of the print workers in the preceding years, but as my friend the late Campbell Christie said in his four word two track record, Charlie Wolfson and John Foster's magnificent document of the occupation, it was an I quote, a forceful reminder that if workers do not fight for themselves, nobody else will. And what solidarity was shown, the minor's welfare on Old Edinburgh Road ran a free soup and bread service day after day. Cash collections were held at football matches week after week, shop stewards, committees and mass meetings were addressed by John Brannan, John Gillan, Frank Kelly and others, the length and breadth of the country in engineering shops, in shipyards, in factories across Scotland, but in factories in Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry and Liverpool too. Bob Burroughs was instrumental in persuading Motherwell District Council to invoke section 25 of the housing benefit act to provide rent rebates and Strathlide regional council to provide assistance to mortgage lenders. Of course, the Caterpillar women's support group, like the miners wise before them, is not there to make the tea but to make the case for the occupation, to lobby parliament, to organise the struggle beyond the factory gates. This was real solidarity, practical solidarity, never to be forgotten solidarity. So what are the enduring lessons of the occupation? It is in my view that the balance of power between labour and capital can be tipped in favour of labour. It is that industrial democracy can prevail and does work. It is that working people are not just born wage earners but have the potential to manage and run industry themselves. It is also that the real division in society is not between Scotland and England. The real division, the decisive division, is between those who own the wealth and those who, through their hard work and endeavour, create the wealth. For me, the real test of this Parliament is what we make of the Caterpillar occupation. Can we rise to the challenge that it throws at us? Can we learn the lessons that it sets? Make no mistake, the Caterpillar workers action raises the fundamental question about who controls the economy and in whose interests. I suggest that we need to put democratic socialism on the agenda once more. We need an industrial policy that is not reliant on multinational corporations. We need to start planning our economy rather than leaving it to the market. We need to start promoting industrial democracy in place of industrial vandalism. I, for one, would like to see an industrial reform act following in the steps of the land reform act passed by this Parliament. We should not underestimate the size of the task before us but neither should we exaggerate it. I want to leave the final word in my opening remarks to John Brannan, who said at the conclusion of the occupation, that there was never any guarantee at the start that we were going to win. Maybe we are not successful, but we proved a stand can be made. Workers could unite. I think that the tremendous support of the public was not on a judgment whether they thought that we could win or lose. It was supporting guys who decided to have a go. Today we do not look back with resignation and we look forward with hope. Let's keep that fighting spirit alive, that ray of hope, that things can be different and let's use this Parliament to forge the real change that working people need. Can I request our visitors in the public gallery to hold off the show of appreciation to the end, and I will allow time for that, if you do not mind. We now move to the open speeches of around four minutes. I call Richard Lyle to be followed by James Kelly. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I begin this evening by thanking Richard Leonard for bringing this important issue to the chamber. I also congratulate him on his tremendous speech. Welcome the opportunity to speak in a debate in this important and significant event that took place in my Erdingsdon and Belsall constituency. It was known then by the north. I can also welcome those ex-caterpillar workers who are in the gallery on being here today and once again pay my tribute to them and all who took part in the caterpillar sitting. The caterpillar plant in Tannockside in my constituency is one that has enjoyed a successful heady from its opening in 1956 to its peak employment of 2,700 people. It was a site that was well known within our community. Indeed, it was one that enjoyed royal approval, as I recall Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the site in July 1962 during a visit to Lanarkshire at that time. As Mr Leonard has stated in 14 January 1987, the caterpillar factory sitting began with managers at the site being locked out by the hardworking and committed workers. This action, as was stated in Mr Leonard's speech, was supported by the community, especially supported and reminded by all the community, including one little girl who broke her piggy bank and came along and handed in £5 in lush coin for the fund to support the workers, amongst the others who have done the teas and the soup kitchens. It was a message that was announced change of the plan by the company's executives that of absolute closure of the plan, no investment as it has been promised, was not going to take place and this was not going to be taken lightly. The workers sat in for 103 days before their occupation ended on Sunday, 26 April, after the caterpillar obtained an eviction order. But not before the world looked on as workers fought back against the executives who had treated them with disdain. Indeed, from the city came the famous pink panther, the workers campaign tractor, which had been built and taken to George Square, had truly captured the public's imagination and became a symbol of the struggle of the workers of caterpillar. Indeed, there were many characters and faces that were involved in the caterpillar sitting. I remember, of course, one Jimmy Hamilton MP, who represented Mullow North at the time, not only for the contribution that he made during the caterpillar sitting when he told the commons that he was absolutely flabbergasted at the news, but also because I recalled standing for the SNP against Jimmy Hamilton in the 1983 general election, when I was the first North Lanarkshire SNP general election candidate to retain their deposit in such an election. I actually came forth out of four candidates. I do hope that the chamber does not mind me reflecting on that political nostalgia in this debate. Of course, escaping nostalgia and coming to the recent years, there has rightly been work done to recognise the contribution of the caterpillar workers in our community. From the 25th anniversary union, which took place and planted the seed by the former workers who attended to build the memorial to the factory and the occupation, which has subsequently came to fruition. Now, every time I drive from a surgery in view park to other surgery venues, I pass by in the memorial to the workers, and I am very proud to represent a constituency with a story like this to tell. Indeed, it cannot be understated that the workers at the caterpillar site are not only a true testament to the effectiveness that workers can have in ploing direct action to highlight their issue, but indeed that the workers at the caterpillar have shown that, in standing up together, they could galvanise not only their colleagues' support but in still that same desire to stand up for what is right by so many in the community, who also joined them in their action of fairness. Due to other commitments long-standing tonight, I may only be able to attend for a short time at the reception that Richard Leonard and I have told him earlier is having, but I want to end my contribution by saying that I recognise the efforts made by the workers of the caterpillar factory who are rightly paid tribute today in this debate. Every one of them deserves our tribute today. I call James Kelly to be followed by Margaret Mitchell. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. First of all, I start by congratulating my colleague Richard Leonard on securing this very important debate commemorating the 30-year anniversary of the working at caterpillar and also congratulating Mr Leonard on a very strong and passionate speech, which I am sure will have been welcomed by the representatives in the gallery from that working and it is glad to see so many of them have made their journey through to Holyrood here tonight. I remember the issue well having grown up in halfway just a couple of miles from Tannockside and it is true that it was not only an issue that resonated throughout Lanarkshire but that the workers took their case throughout Scotland. In fact, I can remember as a young Labour Party activist attending a fringe meeting at the Scottish Labour Party conference that the caterpillar workers had organised up in Perth and been very impressed by the commitment and the passion shown by the speakers from the workforce. I think that it is worth recognising indeed what a remarkable story it is because it was a real kick in the teeth to the workforce when initially they had been told that there was going to be a £62.5 million investment in the plant and that obviously at that time gave the community great hope and then to commit such a U-turn and to change their mind and to close the plant was a real hammer blow and as Richard Leonard pointed out, that came at a time when retrogate actions were being taken against trade unions on the back of legislation introduced by the Thatcher Government and it made it more difficult for trade unions to stand up and take action but bearing in mind all those circumstances they embarked on that 103-day work-in with great dedication, commitment and dignity. I think that we would all do well to recognise and celebrate the solidarity that they showed and indeed on the day that unemployment has risen in Scotland what they were showing also was the importance of work. A lot of those men among the 1200 women had been used to the dignity of work, how important it was to their lives, how important it was in their community and they were taking a stand not only to save the plant but to say that they recognised the importance of that employment. I think that it also is important not only to celebrate the history of the event but also as Richard Leonard said, look at the lessons for today. One of the key points from that is that trade unions matter, you need that collective organisation that brings workers together because indeed if we do stand together as one force for stronger and as was shown back in 1987, that strong, united, committed voice made such a strong case that reverberated throughout Scotland and beyond. I think that it also shows the importance of having an industrial strategy. One of the sad things when you reflect back on Lanarkshire in the 80s was that you saw the closures not only in Tannock's side but in places like the Hoover in Canbus Lang and also the reduction in the number of people working in the steelworks. In Scotland we still have a proud industrial heritage. We have many graduates leaving our universities who are skilled in engineering and I think that we need to recommit to that industrial strategy not only to show that we can have the cutting edge to produce an economy that is fit for the 21st century but to give meaningful work to the men and women of this country and to ensure that the dignity that was exemplified by the caterpillar workforce can once again be brought forward in Scotland in 2017. Deputy Presiding Officer, I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate on the 30th anniversary of the caterpillar occupation and I thank Richard Leonard for tabling that motion and also congratulating for him on securing his very first member's debate on this issue. Any factory closure is usually a matter of great sadness for the management, the workforce, suppliers and the local community. When the use of a closure is preceded by an announcement of a substantial new investment programme, which is started and then abruptly cancelled, that must surely be a matter of more than sadness. It is a matter of outrage involving justifiable accusations of rank bad faith, that is, in essence, the experience of the caterpillar factory at Tannockside Uningston. Those are the words of the then Conservative MP for Strathkelvin and Bairstenn Michael Hearst when he spoke in the House of Commons debate on the caterpillar tractor's closure on 28 January 1987. The House of Commons debate was held in response to the following developments. In January 1987, the 1200 workforce that the caterpillar plant in Tannockside came back from the Christmas break to discover that the £62.5 million proposed investment and expansion announced only months earlier was not only being abandoned but the plant itself was to close. Despite the management and workforce having co-operated and responded positively to the many challenges that the automotive industry had faced, including competition from the Japanese technology, technological advance and world economic and market conditions, the US company's explanation for the decision was that the losses that it was experiencing worldwide due to the Japanese competition and a contracting market meant that the plant at Tannockside was no longer sustainable. This closure explanation was, with justification, questioned coming as it did so soon after the major investment programme planned for the factory. The closure was a huge blow to the loyal and co-operative workforce, the company's suppliers and subcontractors, the local community and the UK government who had pledged substantial assistance. The response from the workers was to stage a sit-in. Although legally they were prevented for continuing to make tractors and bulldozers, the workers kept the plant open by occupying it for 103 days. During this time, they succeeded in raising awareness of their plight around the world. As a consequence, a deal was secured that ensured that no compulsory redundancies were to be made and enhanced severing packages were to be awarded. Today, the site of the former caterpillar factory is occupied by both Housing and Tannockside Business Park. Sadly, closures of businesses located there still happen. The latest being the announcement of the closure of the branch of quick fit insurance, which adds 521 employees. However, here is the difference. When this closure was first announced, a huge effort was made to try and secure a takeover of the quick fit call centre by another company as a growing concern. Now that has proved not possible, Agias, the parent company, has had to take the difficult decision to close the site and is now concentrating on doing everything in its power to help the workforce to find new employment and or to reskill. It is therefore encouraging that over 1,800 job vacancies with local as well as national companies have been identified. Today's debate is testament to the fact that lessons can be learned from the past, including the value of open lines of communication between workers and management and the need for maximum support for the affected workforce when closures, as they inevitably will continue to be, are announced. Elaine Smith, followed by Ross Greer. Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I can also thank Richard Leonard for bringing this important anniversary to our attention with an excellent speech in the chamber this evening. I would also like to add my own welcome to the veterans of the industrial action who are here today with us, but also to remember those who are no longer with us. Caterpillar, as we have heard, came to Tannockside in 1956 and the jobs that they brought were vitally important to local people. For those of us who live in Lanarkshire, I'm sure we will all have friends, family or neighbours who worked in the Caterpillar. North Lanarkshire Labour Councilor, Bob Burroughs, is one such worker. Bob was a shop steward and he was one of the former workers who also organised a memorial at the site that was previously mentioned by my colleague Richard Leonard. I think that it's awful that that memorial was vandalised, but perhaps that's testament to the fact that there are people in our community who no longer remember or have been told this story of a local solidarity. Bob retrained as a debt councillor and he went on to become an elected member and he said that the Caterpillar occupation changed everyone's life. All of the men and women who took part in this 103-day occupation to save jobs 30 years ago are examples of the power of workers struggle, the importance of solidarity and the need for a labour and trade union movement. They didn't keep the plan open but, as we have heard, they did win a better settlement. It's vital to remember their struggle and that of all workers who withdraw their labour or take action in other sometimes innovative ways for a greater cause. But workers' ultimate bargaining power is their ability to withdraw their labour and stop production. To do that, workers must fight as a class. Other historic examples of class solidarity, such as the Caterpillar occupation, are upper-clad shipbuilders' work-in in the Lee-Jeans occupation. The women of Lee-Jeans did win their fight and Helen Monaghan, who was at the forefront, said at the start, that we didn't know when we occupied the factory where the help would come from but we hadn't long to find out. Without the support of trade unionists, we wouldn't have lasted this long and, with your continued support, we'll keep fighting. My old friend and comrade Jimmy Reid, former shop steward at UCS, and his most famous address said, reject the insidious pressures in society that would blunt your critical faculties to all that is happening around you, that would caution silence in the face of injustice lest you jeopardise your chance of promotion and self-advancement.  The price is too high. It entails the loss of your dignity and human spirit or, as Christ put it, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his soul? The caterpillar workers might not have won, but they are an inspiration in the way they fought for their jobs, their community and, indeed, their very dignity. That spirit of resistance, solidarity and community is the spirit that helped to create democracy itself in this country to advance workers' rights and build the very party that I am a member of. Many councillors, MSPs and MPs over the years owe their opportunity to be heard to the efforts of those who campaigned and battled against unfair practices and an unequal society. We basically stand on the shoulders of men and women, like those in the gallery today, and we must never forget that. However, unfortunately many people in Lanarkshire are still fighting for their very existence, facing unemployment on zero hours contracts and adequate benefits with no secure home and depending on food banks. That is not the legacy that our working class, trade union ancestors wanted for our area. We must select examples like the caterpillar struggle to push us on for a new struggle, but it is much the same as the one that we have always fought, standing up to injustice and greed of those at the top and demanding equality and fairness for ordinary working people. That is the cause of labour. Once again, I applaud Richard Leonard for bringing this issue to the Scottish Parliament's attention. I call Ross Greer to be followed by Liam Kerr. I thank Richard Leonard for giving us the opportunity this evening to remember the caterpillar plant occupation 30 years ago and to celebrate the history of workers in Scotland and around the world who organise and fight together as a movement. It is fantastic that we have veterans of the occupation here with us in Parliament today. Preserving and promoting the history of the labour movement is essential if we are to be capable of winning the fights yet to come. The 103-day occupation at the Tannockside plant symbolised a generation of workers unwilling to stand aside as their jobs and communities were destroyed by deindustrialisation in Scotland and across the islands. The story of what caterpillar management said to the shop stewards when they announced the closure shows quite starkly what a cruel and dysfunctional capitalist system we were subject to then as we are now. The plant manager said to the union committee, the company has a problem and you are a victim of the remedy. I only know about that because I have read it in the daily record and I only know about the occupation because I am a trade unionist and I am active in left-wing politics. That was not the history that I was taught at school and why not? If we expect our young people to grow up with an understanding of the society that they live in, of its history, of its defining moments, then why do young people in Scotland, in west and central Scotland in particular, not learn about the radical history of the labour movement in our communities? I do not object having learned about the wars of independence, the Second World War or the Jacobite rebellion, but surely I and other young people would have understood just as much, if not more, of the Scotland that we live in today if we had been told about Red Clyde side, about Maxden, McLean and Gallacher, the battle of George Square, which we will soon celebrate the centenary of, or the upper Clyde shipyard's work in. It has taken Herculean effort just to get a statue for Mary Barber and her rent strikers. This is the history of a nation and a class and it is something that all of our young people should know. I have been inspired by the work of the Caterpillar Legacy Project and I hope that the exhibition will make it to communities in my region of the west of Scotland. We must get the message across to new generations of workers that fighting together is far better than being exploited alone. The trade union movement in Scotland has a proud history, but we must be determined to build a winning future. As the nature of work changes, so must the tactics of the trade union movement. With more people than ever, particularly young people being exploited by zero hours contracts and shocking conditions, most notably in the hospitality sector and for large employers such as Amazon, JJB and Sports Direct, the Better Than Zero campaign, launched by the Scottish Trade Union Congress' Youth Committee, has not only shown that union campaigning can actually be fun, it has shown that it gets results. After a series of direct actions and consistent pressure on the G1 group, followed by negotiations with campaigners, the Better Than Zero campaign has won an end to zero hours contracts, an end to the charging for uniforms and training, a new fairer tips policies and a number of other improvements. It is now G1 management's responsibility to live up to their promise, but they know that if they do not, their venues will once again be shut down by workers' demanding respect. This is a new generation of activism within the trade union movement. It is young workers fighting for their rights because the generations that came before, including the caterpillar workers, showed us that it is a fight worth having, and I thank them for that. Just before I call Liam Kerr, due to the numbers of members still wishing to speak in this debate, I am happy to accept a motion under rule 8143 that the debate to be extended by up to 30 minutes. I would invite Richard Leonard to move the motion. Thank you, Mr Leonard. Are we all agreed? Good. Therefore, we extend the debate, and I call Liam Kerr to be followed by Pauline McNeill. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I would like first of all to congratulate Richard Leonard on securing this member's business debate today, and I too welcome the many workers to this chamber. There are periods and events in history that are indelibly seared in our collective subconscious—famous battles, dates, places and events—that make us the nation that we are. However, it is right that we remind ourselves of perhaps less widely recalled events, which are of equal importance in our nation's story. I echo Richard Leonard's comments at the outset in this regard, and dare I say that Ross Greer does make a very important and valid point about history. That will not happen too often, will it? That is what we do today as we look back 30 years and recall the workers' occupation at the Caterpillar Plant at Tannockside. There, the workers sitting represented a seminal moment for those involved, their families and the community in which they lived. It is right to pay tribute to the courageous stance of the workers, but also to recognise the support of the union movement at the time and those who supported them, including, of course, famously the school children who donated their pocket money to pay for bus fares. The decision of Caterpillar to announce the closure of the plant just months after announcing a £62.5 million investment in new equipment does seem to show in the words of the then Conservative MP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Michael Hearst, gross incompetence in the planning of their corporate strategic objectives. James, or as Richard Lyle may be telling me, was so disbelieving that he said of the shop steward that had told him the news that they must have been going stark raving bonkers. Unfortunately, incompetent or not, bonkers are not, the plant at Tannockside did eventually close some 103 days after being occupied by the workers. As the motion also demands, this anniversary serves to remind us of the value of workers standing together in the common interest. When there are genuine concerns about jobs, health and safety and the general public, it is right that the Government listens to the trade unions when they raise these issues. Richard Leonard asked the question, what have we learned? I hope that the Scottish Government learns to listen and to listen hard to the TSA who warned just last week of the folly that merging British Transport Police with Police Scotland would be, potentially causing big delays for travellers, lasting damage— Yes, I'll take an intervention. Neil Findlay. Thanks for taking the intervention, Mr Kerr. Maybe you'll now put on the record, given that you're expressing such care for working people, an apology for your Government at Westminster for bringing in the pernicious trade union bill. Liam Kerr. I thank the member for the intervention. I think that, in the spirit of what I'm trying to put forward here, that's a little bit pernicious. The trade union act has been brought in. It's not really relevant today to what we're trying to do. I think that what you've learned has brought a very important motion here, and I wanted to speak on it. The trade union act aims to rebalance the interests of all with a freedom to strike. It is a sensible move, it is reasonable, and that is what that Government, that democratically elected Government, has put forward. However, I want to talk about the Scottish Government listening to the TSA, the Scottish Labour and Scottish Conservatives and not go forward with merging the British Transport Police with Police Scotland. The RMT, the TSA and ASLEF have publicly opposed this when it was first mooted, and the TSA's General Secretary, Manuel Cortez, said that the SNP leadership know nothing about the practicalities— Will he come to a close, please, Mr Kerr? Yes, Deputy Presiding Officer. As we stand here remembering the actions of the past, let us not be blind to the present. The SNP should listen to the unions, the Scottish Conservatives, the BTP, Scottish Labour and above all the public and stop meddling with the British Transport Police. Please, 30 seconds. No, I'm sorry, Mr Kerr. Can I remind members that the spirit of member's debates is that you stick to the terms of the motion? Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I call Pauline McNeill to be followed by Clare Haughey. Presiding Officer, I'd like to begin by congratulating Richard Leonard on his first member's debate, but also by thanking him, because I think that this has been an important point in history to congratulate the achievements of the working movement, of the caterpillar workers and their communities, and it has some relevance to current day. That community did not only fight for their jobs, but fought for their community. As other speakers have said passionately, it mobilised a community probably in a way that none of us had ever seen before. My father-in-law, Patrick Cahill, was a worker in the caterpillar plant. He always amused me how he used to say that he thought it was unbelievable that people were wearing the caterpillar occupation fashion. He said, I used to wear those boots to my work. I don't know why you think that it's the fashion. The ingenuity of the campaign is the thing that struck me. I remember at one Labour party conference, when I was a student, a friend of mine came dressed as a pink panther. It was my first recollection of the dispute when I asked him why he was dressed like that. He was obviously drawing the attention to the pink tractor. I don't know how dressed meet the significance of a mainly male workforce painting a tractor pink at the time, but it was really quite ingenious. I'm proud to say that there was an important Glasgow connection, as there was to every other city, not just in Scotland. However, it was an internationally recognised occupation, as people raised funds to support the workers who were in occupation. As Margaret Mitchell and many others have quoted Michael Hurst at the time, who not only said that it was best growth incompetence, but he said that it was the worst corporate treachery. I never thought that I'd hear that from a Tory, but what it showed you is that, at the time, the whole country felt the devastation of a promise of investment to be reneged upon by a corporate power. However, this member's debate tonight is also an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of workers and organised labour and trade unions, and their right to resist. I do think that there is a relevance to the current day. As Elaine Smith said, there were many achievements of the occupation campaign in hands redundancy packages, which is an area for our employment law right now when many workers do not get even basic employment rights when their jobs are made redundant, not to mention poor packages. However, the living wage, the minimum wage, the right to be in a union, and the right to be represented are all achievements of the trade union movement that we have the benefit of today. However, the voice of an organised workforce is an absolute legitimate voice, not just in an industrial setting, but in influencing decisions in public service. That is the point that I would make to Liam Kerr. If he believes in challenging power, wherever power comes from, he must believe in the legitimate voice of the trade union to do that. The RMT has a difficult fight in their hands right now, but there are 49 Tory MPs who want to restrict their right to strike with people in public services. What I would say to you is this. It is notwithstanding that there should be provisions that trade unions have to take in order to go and strike when they do not do it lightly. Would you only trust the view of the executive powers to decide whether our railways are safe or not, or whether our public services are safe? I think that if you believe in a democracy, then the voices of everyone is really important, and I think that it is a dangerous road to go down. I think that there is a lot to thank the community around the caterpillar occupation for what they achieved then, what they brought now, and I am really pleased to be supporting Richard Leonard's debate tonight, and I know that there will be some celebration offers for perhaps a chance to talk to John Branagh and others about their many achievements. I start by thanking Richard Leonard for bringing forward this motion and giving us the opportunity to mark the 30th anniversary of this notable event in recent Scottish trade union history. A history, as Richard Leonard stated in his speech, we do not celebrate enough. The caterpillar plant in Oddingston drew its workforce from across Glasgow, Lanarkshire and beyond, and its closure would have had a significant effect on workers from my constituency at the time. Although the aim of the caterpillar workers to save their plant and jobs was ultimately not realised, their actions in occupying their place of work in the face of global corporate disdain for them was a lesson in solidarity and determination. Like the upperclide shipbuilders 15 years earlier, they were determined that their right to work would not be prized from them easily or without a fight. Although ultimately unsuccessful, there is much to be admired in the spirit that is shown by the caterpillar workers in refusing to be ignored and disrespected, and I particularly welcome them to the chamber and to the gallery today. By 1987, the industrial and manufacturing base of Scotland and the UK and my community was being systematically eroded under the supervision of a Tory Government dismissive of the concerns of the communities involved. As with the minor strike, as has been referenced by other speakers in the debate earlier in the decade, little or no consideration was given to what would replace long-standing industries that faced forced reorganisation or technical restructuring and was taking the food out of the mouths of children that I went to school with at the time. The aim of the Thatcher Government and their global corporate friends was to erode the influence of trade unions and their ability to organise. By the time of the caterpillar occupation, mainly as the result of the policies of the Tories at the time, trade union membership had fallen by 28 per cent from its post-war peak of £12.2 million to £8.8 million and was to decline further. Notwithstanding the onslaught on workers' rights, the actions of the caterpillar workers and other groups of workers who fought for their jobs throughout this period were certainly an inspiration to young socially aware teenagers such as myself, who were entering the world of work at that time of great change. The caterpillar workers unfortunately did not change the decision of the company to pull out what they did achieve in a redundancy package that was well above what was being proposed. A lot has changed in the intervening 30 years, but it is right that we should never give up on the concept of fair work and workers' rights that were at the core of the caterpillar action. Since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, we have had an opportunity to progress a fair work agenda. The Scottish Government considers trade unions to be partners, and my own experience as a divisional convener with Unison and the NHS is in working in partnership, not as an opponent, and it is a much more productive relationship for all involved. The Scottish Government opposed the trade union bill, which threatens the fundamental rights of workers to organise and bargain collectively, if necessary, withdraw a labour. We should work to deliver responsible foreign investment to bring employers to the country and to further develop employee rights, which devolution of employment law would allow us to do. We have repeatedly called for the devolution of employment law in order to ensure workers' rights are protected, and that is something that Labour has until now refused to support. In the light of current threats to those rights from ultra-right-wing Tory Brexiteer Government, I would hope that Labour can alter its stance and support us in the call for those powers. That, I believe, would be a fitting tribute to those who have stood up for hard-won trade union rights over the years. In conclusion, I wish that Caterpillar Workers' legacy project well with its planned exhibition and other events planned this year to coincide with the anniversary of the occupation, and which will commemorate the determination and solidarity of the Caterpillar Workers. The last of the open speeches is Neil Findlay. I thank Richard Leonard for bringing this motion in. Important members' debate before the Parliament, and I commend him for his speech. The occupation, just like Brick Slayland, the UCS, Timex, the Miner Strike and others, are ingrained in the DNA of the Labour and Trade Union movement. The actions by workers in struggle, not for higher pay, but for the right to work, and many, many more industrial struggles are not just our history and our heritage. They are absolutely relevant to the times that we live in, where corporate power, and all too often, corporate greed, have much more clout than the people or their democratically elected representatives. As the Brexit debate reges, I hear people mouth platitudes about the apparent benefits that we all derive from the so-called free trade and the free movement of capital, while Caterpillar is but one example of the consequences of such policy. Time and again, we have witnessed multinational companies with production plants in Scotland, and, indeed, across the UK, across the UK and across the globe, taking that production to wherever they can maximise profit through low-taxis inducements or ever-cheaper labour. The workforce left behind discarded like a fitters oily rag by corporate power brokers, financiers and the demands of shareholders. Only last week, we saw Tesco announce closures and job losses, and what happened? Its share price shot up. What a brutal system capitalism is? Of course, in the circumstances, the Caterpillar workers found themselves the only tool left in the locker, and the locker of all working people is solidarity, is unity, organising together and loyalty to each other, to the community and to their class. My friend, and a lot of us have mentioned people who we know, my friend Alec Cunningham, sadly, no longer with us, was one of the young Caterpillar workers at the time. He spoke with great pride about the occupation, about the construction, the pink panther and the comradeship and solidarity of the occupation. The debate is a tribute to him and all his fellow workers alive or no longer with us. Ultimately, the plant closed as the employers resorted to the courts to bring about the end of the occupation, but it was not a failure. People have mentioned enhanced packages that were secured, but the success was also the international support, the finance and solidarity received from trade unions and working people across the world and a community united in support of those men and women.  The current generation has much to learn from this and other such struggles, and I pay tribute to and express my solidarity with the stewards and others here today. Their struggle will be our generation's inspiration, but debates like this are not some dewy-eyed nostalgia trip. They are about the lessons of yesterday inspiring the actions of today and ultimately the aim is to bring about social, political and industrial change. That is the lesson from those events. I move to the closing speeches, and I call Jamie Hepburn. Around seven minutes please, minister. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I join with others in thanking Richard Leonard for bringing us debate to the chamber. I must admit that I was a little surprised to learn that it was his first in members' debates. He shows the common frequency with which he participates in members' debates, because I think that I come up not against him but in debate with him in members' debates with great regularity, but I would agree that this is a very worthwhile fitting subject for him to have brought as his first members' debate. I also welcome those who have come to Parliament to watch the debate and to participate in the reception that I know that Richard Leonard has organised. I think that it is absolutely right that we recognise this 30th anniversary as an important part of the history of industrial action in Scotland. As many have mentioned, I thought to the turn of phrase that Neil Finlay used at being woven into the DNA of the trade union and labour movement here in Scotland. I would go further and say that it is woven into the DNA of our country's history. Elaine Smith and others mentioned some of the other forms of industrial action that we saw over the years, leading up to and subsequent to the 30th anniversary, or subsequent to the action that we saw at Tannockside, such as the UCS working. The minor strike is a representative of a former mining community, as I know others in this chamber are. It would behoefn me to mention the minor strike, the occupation of the Lees factory in Verclyde. Another example is showing the wider impact in the wider world. We saw the workers in East Kilbride refusing to work on engines to be sent to Pinochet.  We heard today very clearly about the devastating impact of the caterpillar decision. Any of us in this chamber would understand and sympathise with the sense of betrayal that prompted the occupation. The actions of the caterpillar in 1987 dramatically changed people's lives, not just the workforce in Erdynstyn, who had embarked on the 103-day fight for their jobs, but the wider community, their families. We also heard of the widespread anger over the decision that should be displayed scant regard for the impact on such individuals. That was not a failing plant. It was a profit with an exemplary and highly skilled workforce and not the similar situation with the dismantling of British Steel's presence in Lanarkshire around the same period of time. As Richard Leonard said, a caterpillar had designated it as a plant with a future, not only that, but it backed it up with a significant investment of £62.5 million to secure the plant's future. It even persuaded the UK Government to line up with it to announce the investment, which is public only for the decision to be quickly swept away. As we look back some 30 years hence, it remains unclear as to the specific rationale behind the decision to close a plant that was productive and profitable. The hopes of the workers were raised by the positive public announcements by the company and swept away by their subsequent actions. The hopes of the workers and their families may ultimately have been dashed, but their dignity and defiance must always be recognised. So, too, must the actual difference that Neil Finlay and others made the point that, first, the ultimate desire of the occupation to keep the plant open was not to be realised. Their action did lead to enhanced packages for the workforce. So, too, must we learn from the experiences of the workers at Cattable and other industrial disputes down the years? That has to inform our thinking for today. The Government will not accept that such negative outcomes are inevitable, and we will always support and protect the workers' rights. We will also seek to intervene where we can, where any particular employer is in danger of ceasing operation, resulting in job losses. We have seen that with Ferguson's. We have seen that indeed with partnership with trade unions, where we have felt safeguard jobs at the L, Clydebridge, Rio Tinto and Penman engineering. I believe that that is a positive example of the collaboration of the Government and trade unions and, indeed, in conjunction with industry, where we can achieve real results. It is an indication of the value of trade unions, why James Kelly was correct to say that trade unions are a matter. I believe that today is a good opportunity to discuss the Government's valued relationship with trade unions, underlined by our memorandum of understanding with the STUC. Trade union membership of our fair work convention was also crucial to delivering the framework that was published last year. Of course, the framework defines if fair work is offering an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect. Fair work balances the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers and generates benefits for individuals, organisations and our society. The vision challenges not only businesses, employers and the public and third sectors but has clear actions for unions and Governments. Such partnership working is fundamental and that is why we committed £500 million this year to support the convention's future work. We have, as the Administration has repeatedly opposed the draconian measures put forward in the Tories trade union bill act, which are like Mr Kerr, who I think made a misjudged contribution. I hate to stray from the usual form of consensus we have in these debates. Unlike Mr Kerr, I think that it is absolutely absent and appropriate for us to mention the trade union act today. It is why we will continue to raise our voice against that act. We have not only set out £500,000 of support for the further rolling out of the fair work framework, but we have not only set out £2.26 million this year to support Scottish union learning or £100,000 for equality and leadership projects, but we have also invested and created a trade union modernisation fund to support trade unions to mitigate the effect of and to be able to better respond to the impact of the trade union act. I hope that that is a demonstration amongst other activities that inevitably I do not have the time to set out today. The great value in which the Scottish Government places in terms of our relationship with trade unions, but let me close by saying and bring it back to the 30th anniversary. The catapult of occupation in 1987 is a marker in time that we must continue to seek to learn from a period of profitable manufacturing in Uddingston, which was crudely brought to an abrupt end. I commend the efforts of those who were involved in the occupation. Welcome again to the Scottish Parliament. I absolutely like to reassure this chamber that, as a Government, we will continue to work tirelessly to promote fair work and secure jobs for workers here in Scotland. I now close this meeting and any appreciation can now be shown.


Oh, what's up everybody once again is brand man Sean and this video is brought to you by brand man network.com because I signed myself now this video is actually inspired by a lot of the members of brand man network.com because man I'll be on calls with artists and you know next thing you know you see them pick up like a newborn baby right here or I'll get an email like yo I can do this week I actually am having a baby right now or I'm riding the car and your kids in the back or they won't be on the call like the cooking for the kids and so it just made me think about family right just building with a family in mind and it's something that I've been going through for a while now but it's gotten even more serious for me lately so from that sense I'm always feeling the artists when I see them because it's serious about it they're making sure they get their work done but they still got to do what they have to do when it comes to their family especially when it comes to the kids and to me it's not enough to just say you know what no matter what I got going on in my business family matters more than me so I'm just gonna drop everything going on with business if family is necessary it takes a lot more than that personal mentality and you feeling that way personally to actually run this ship successfully how do I know that well I had to learn it myself and it wasn't that easy not personally for me to make that adjustment so here are three tips that I've personally like learned and started to apply and actually seen real benefit from that I think will be helpful for others as well number one you need to share your vision we already know that we need to have a vision for whatever we're doing right where we're going that's gonna help in business in general but you need to make sure you actually share that with your family and when I say share the vision I mean the plan as well right share it with the with the people who matter even kids they can understand certain things like if you tell them but at least share the vision of where you want to go and the plan on how you want to get there because when you're not working for somebody right it's sometimes unclear how you're going to get to where you're gonna say and we're so used to people saying so many things that they're gonna do this they're gonna do that and not doing it not following up sometimes people don't necessarily even take you seriously when you say you're gonna do it or when you say that you're working on something they don't know and they don't see the work and it's not this traditional thing that they're familiar with it needs to be clarified in just a true laid-out plan and that needs to be communicated to them which brings me to number two talk business with the family and what do I mean by that well one like one thing that I did especially in the beginning was I felt like you know when I'm at work right I'm working so hard and I'm deep in this energy and I know it's taking away a lot from everything else right when I'm spending this time family doesn't get this from me so whenever I actually got a chance to be around family right and the people I cared about then I would flip the switch completely I wouldn't even talk about it and I thought you know that was a positive thing right they don't want to hear about this they already are losing me to this thing so they don't want to hear about this but what I found is that just leaves them in the dark right and over time there it continues to be this disconnect with this thing that's apparently a huge part of your life so now they don't know what to do with that right they can't help you even if they would like to and at the same time you feel this disconnect of lack of understanding right and you being the person setting off on this vision you being the person who's working on this you're the leader in that area you have to take responsibility for the fact that your vision is not communicated right people don't understand you just like any employer somebody who's on your team any lack of understanding is your fault you have to over communicate I know for a lot of y'all artists that's not easy and I know for a lot of y'all managers it might be a little bit more easier but still it's easy to forget so keep this in mind over communicate over communicate over communicate the more they know the more they understand about your business and the more they able to see that the easier it'll be for you to even be able to make certain decisions without feeling guilty because you'll be able to see how they're able to help you and be on board with whatever decision that is tip number three put your family on a calendar I know it might sound weird it might feel weird as a matter of fact like few years ago my girl first found out she was on my calendar it didn't really go to will at first she felt kind of weird about it but over time she realized that was how seriously I took the relationship where at first it just felt like you don't value the time or you don't just make that decision without it being on your calendar felt like more business transactional which I can understand but the relevance of this is just because when you know you have things going on in business you're building things you know as artists you got to make certain moves and especially when this is your extra time right this might not even be your main job is your extra time and things can fall by the wayside easily so I had to get to the point as many of you will or probably already are where if it's not on the calendar then I'm probably not going to do it right I only am focusing on executing these things that are listed here because I can't just start hopping off doing these random things that just keep popping up I need to stay on a plan stay on some sort of regimen and another benefit of that is just the fact that when you are working for yourself right or doing something for yourself once again it might not be your main job it could be your side job that you're working on becoming your main job as an artist as a producer engineer whatever that is people a lot of times feel like yo you know you got your own schedule so why are you working so much or you can come do this or you can come pick me up or or you can do whatever if because they feel like you know you're an entrepreneur this is your business you can take whatever time that's kind of what we always hear when we are in the system of just working right that traditional system we hear entrepreneurship freedom however a lot of times it's hard to understand and really calibrate the fact that at the beginning especially it's kind of the opposite you have to work a lot more because when you stop everything stops where in a traditional job situation you leave yeah they might be mad at you or something like that you boss might not like the fact that you took off or they could be completely fine with it but the business doesn't shut down right because you're not in that type of position you're not in that level of position as a matter of fact a lot of these companies to see you can leave and just be gone and maybe even the CEO could die or something like that but the business is already set for pretty much 10 times out of 10 if your business is just starting out is not in a place like that so keeping that calendar right and letting people know that this is your calendar even sharing that calendar is something that could be extremely helpful to not only you to keep you on track and to keep you organized and in a state of execution it can also be helpful for keeping a level of clarity with those people who are necessary in your life to actually be able to be on board and support you without having to have as much struggle there's always gonna be struggles of course we know that there's always gonna be those struggles but those three things have helped me out personally there's some other things in mind that I'm I'm working on I'm working to develop I'll do another video update sometime after I feel like I've seen personal results from that as well that's how I like to do pretty much a lot of these videos so shout out to y'all and brandmannetwork.com who are hustling doing y'all thing y'all really did for truly inspired this video y'all know what I'm talking about those of y'all who get on the call with kids in your arms and or cooking and got kids yelling at you left and right I salute you I salute you as always this video is brought to you by brandmannetwork.com because I signed myself if you liked this video go ahead to like button if you like it remember to share and if you're not subscribed you know what to do hit that subscribe button


Mark Schwab, the host of Think Tech Hawaii's Law Across the Sea program. Today we are going across the sea of daily life to talk with Morris Atta. Morris is the deputy director of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and I got to know him through his positive Facebook posts. During this stressful and depressing time in the world, Morris regularly posts encouraging words on his Facebook page and I've asked him to discuss how he maintains a positive attitude despite all the depressing current events and to share a few of his favorite quotes. Aloha Morris, it's good to see you. Aloha. Thank you for being my guest today. I really, you know, when I saw some of your Facebook posts, they're really good. They seem to be really relevant and they caught me and I want to start off by pointing out one that is an example of a recent post that really resonated with me, especially at this time in my life. Let's put up the first post. Choose joy. Don't wait for things to get easier, simpler, better. Life will always be complicated. Learn to be happy right now. Otherwise, you'll run out of time. Morris, I really like that quote and I mean, at the time in my life I think, yeah, we got to be happy. But why did you post this quote on your Facebook? What motivated you? Well, like you said, there's a lot going on out there that, you know, people find very depressing or demoralizing. And you know, I, you know, I've always thought that, you know, a lot of people's perceptions of the world and the suffering that ensues is a result of how they perceive the world. And I came across this term, you know, called joyful mind, joyful mindfulness, and basically just being aware of the things of beauty and joy that are around you, rather than focusing on all of the negativity and suffering that seems to be broadcast everywhere. And that's kind of where that quote came from. That's, it's a reminder more to myself, but also to everyone else reading it, that that's how I should be, you know, reacting to the world. Well, I like that you put it out there and I like that you share it because I think it's important to share these things and to show some positive words and a positive attitude. Now, I want you to talk a little bit about your background and then we'll go into some more quotes, but, you know, we, we, we local boys, we always ask, where did you go to school? So where did you go to school?  Yeah, well, you know, I guess I should go back to my family origin is that we're, you know, an immigrant family and my family immigrated from Okinawa after the war. And so we basically started pretty much from nothing. And so we're all public school kids. And I ended up going to Roosevelt for my high school. But I was fortunate enough that I ended up, you know, going, getting admitted and going to Yale. And at this time, I didn't realize how fortunate I was to be given that opportunity. But then, you know, I ended up for a while as at Yale, I, I thought about what I wanted to do. I actually went to Yale to go into medicine to study, you know, neurological research, because I was fascinated with how the mind and the brain works. And that, but midstream, I just, my focus shifted and I ended up deciding to go into law. So I ended up at NYU. And, you know, got a lot, a lot of degree in New York. And, and then, you know, that was the start of my career here in law. Okay. And was there anything in that background that gave you hope? Or was there anything that was made you come to this point of having a positive attitude?  And I remember when I was young, I used to think, you know, why is it that we don't have the kind of things that everybody else has. And I always wondered about that.  And if someone like myself can make it and succeed and, you know, achieve what I have achieved, there's just hope for everyone. I know everyone's circumstances are not the same, but it's possible. And that possibility gives me great hope. Well, yeah, I mean, and it's very hard to get into Yale. Okay. Yes, it is. And then go to law school. Also, I think probably would have been tough, too. But I'm sure having the background of Yale would have helped. Now, you went to law school in New York, and Yale is on the mainland. Why did you come back to Hawaii? What motivated you to come back to Hawaii? I always maintained a strong bond and affection to Hawaii. And, you know, one thing about Hawaii is that it's very unique. You know, they're the spirit of Aloha and the notion of, you know, respecting and loving and learning from the Aina, your Kupuna, and, you know, your forebears is very strong here. And I've always had a very strong affinity and bond to those valleys. And so it felt natural to return home and see what I could do to basically pay back what this place has given me in whatever form I could. And so I've always had that drive to do that. Okay, that's good. I like that. I mean, to learn that about you, I also went away to law school and came back to Hawaii in my home. Now, I want to start talking about some of these quotes because that's really what motivated me to ask you to be my guest today.  Let's start with the first quote that you would like to share with us and tell us why it's a favorite of yours. Peace is not when everyone agrees. It's when we can respect our disagreements and still play in the sandbox together. And it's particularly, you know, pertinent to these times where we have extreme divisiveness and, you know, polarized thinking and behavior that people have forgotten that we can disagree and actually that disagreements are a good thing. It introduces a diversity of ideas and perspectives.  And unfortunately, people have forgotten that we can still play together and disagree. And that's where this quote, you know, sort of struck me. Okay. And you talked a little bit about your family background and also your schooling, your education and why you came back to Hawaii. Now, you came back to Hawaii as a lawyer. What was your professional journey? What did and where did that end up? Where are you now? Well, first of all, like most typical young lawyers were sort of raring to go and jumping into the profession and not really certain where in the profession you're going to end up. I started out in practicing in real estate finance and a bit of environmental law practice. And I, it was interesting because in the private sector, a lot of your decisions and your activities revolve around economics. But coming from my background, I was more interested in the aspects of law that helped shape our humanity and our social values. So eventually, I ended up first trying out the in-house council private sector to see if that, you know, would kind of provide those kinds of issues and work. But eventually, I ended up ending up in government practice. I first started as one of the research attorneys for the Senate. And that was fascinating because I got to do a lot of legislative work in the areas that I had interest in. And I felt like I was contributing to Hawaii's betterment by improving the laws and drafting statutes that protected and supported Hawaii citizens. Eventually, the executive branch noticed my work at the legislature. And I was asked to go to the executive side at DLNR as their land administrator and special project coordinator. And then I, over time, I ended up here at the Department of Agriculture as their deputy. So that's kind of my legal journey of how I ended up here. Okay. Yeah. And I can see that your personal and professional background are kind of mirrored in some of the quotes that you put up on your Facebook. And let's talk, what's the next quote? Next one of your favorite quotes and why? Okay. This is somewhat of a continuation of the last quote in that the quote being, everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth, by Marcus Aurelius. And the reason why I liked that one in particular is because of the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation that's used in the public sphere to influence people. And it's sort of a reminder to myself, on a constant basis. Remember, what you hear is not necessarily the truth and what you see is not necessarily true. And I wanted to share that because people need to be reminded of the fact that what they're hearing out there in the news, in gatherings and whatever, is not necessarily everything or truthful or does not always have all of the facts. And just to be aware of it, it's, you know, it's fine to have an opinion about things, but at least, you know, be aware that you may not know or see everything. That's basically it. You know, and I can see that in a way these quotes reflect your own growth, it seems to me, in a way in your own, your own thought pattern. Now, and let's dive a little deeper into this. I mean, there are so many things going on in the world today.  And how are you looking at current events in the world today, from your perspective? And how do they affect your personal feelings? Yes. I somewhat have a Buddhist perspective on the world in embracing the notion that everything is temporary, that eventually all phases and all events come to an end and new events and new things happen. And if you look back at history, you know, it will tell you the same, you know, lesson that no matter how bad things are at any particular time, we overcome it, you know, humanity overcomes and it changes over time. So I view these types of negative or hurtful events as being momentary. And I'm always looking to see when those things will shift. And I'm always optimistic that those shifts will occur. And that's how I maintain my optimism. You don't let them beat you down is what you're saying. I acknowledge that they exist, but I also acknowledge that it's not a permanent condition. Okay. All right.  Is that what you, is that my reading that right? Yes, you are. But, you know, while acknowledging that they're temporary and eventually they were passed and it's all a question of, I guess, scale.   But you're aware with the realization that at some point in time we will overcome all of this and it's that bit of hopefulness and confidence in the future that keeps me going. Okay. Let's go to another one of your favorite quotes. Let's go, what would be the next one? This one is a favorite. Well, let me read it. If you ever feel like you're the only one who doesn't have it figured out, listen close, life is not tidy, growth is not linear, we are all wanderers, we are all learning. And this is the part, the twist that tries to give people hope and that, you know, acknowledging that there are things that are not as you would want them to be, but acknowledge it and move on and, you know, and keep going. And it's, you know, it's an acknowledgement that we individually and as, as a whole are not perfect, you know, basically we're all imperfect beings. And let's continue to learn and constantly try to evolve to what we want to be is the message of this, of that quote. How did you start to get involved with these inspirational quotes or, you know, where did you find them and what motivated you to put them on your Facebook in the first place?  But I really began to actually collect them when I got out to social media and Facebook, which is about 10 years ago. And it started not so much to be a, you know, someone who is posting to share, but more for my own personal self growth and a reminder to myself, a daily reminder to think in a positive manner. And so this constant self reminder, it's kind of like, like how mantras work and meditation work. You repeat it, you repeat it, you repeat it, and eventually some of it rubs off and it really becomes part of you. And that's kind of the concept of what I was trying to do with myself by posting on Facebook. So doing it was actually a way for you to get through every day.  And where did you get these quotes? Is there a... Primarily to reading. Yeah. It was primarily to reading and social media. I mean, obviously, because I had, you know, jumped onto social media and I started focusing in on those types of those types of inspirational posts. And after a while I thought, well, this is a good idea that, well, why don't I start collecting them? Maybe I can remind myself or use them as a reminder. And that's basically how I ended up with these quotes as a collection. And so it really, it's helping you daily is what I hear. And this is, I mean, it's interesting that this is a positive aspect of Facebook or social media, really. It's being used in a good way. And for yourself, but other people like myself, I've seen it. And I like the quotes that you're putting up. And it helps me also daily. Thank you. You're welcome. But it's interesting that you say that because, you know, I was thinking about that very same thought about how most people's perception about social media while acknowledging that it is an important tool for communication, also acknowledge or rather focus on the negative impacts that social media has on interpersonal behavior and the future of how we will behave. But I also, like you, was kind of amused by the fact that there are ways to use social media that can be helpful and positive. And I think this is one of them. Yeah, I agree. There's a lot of negativity about social media. And here you have shown a positive way to use it that, you know, is helpful for yourself. And it's helpful for other people in your Facebook friends, if you will, that see what you've been saying.  Are you positive? Are you hopeful about the world? Or is there something that still gives you trouble? Yes, I would say that, you know, generally speaking, I'm a positive person. And I do get affected by what happens to the world.  But acknowledging them and being mindful that they're there, I believe is a good thing. It's just what do you do with it that is important? And my strategy for dealing with it is, okay, acknowledge it and feel what you feel. But have faith and move on and believe that things are not always going to be this way. Basically, that's why this exercise of these positive posts are very helpful for me. It's a constant reminder that, you know, in spite of whatever may be happening in the world, I think, you know, reframe your thoughts and your refocus your, your, you know, mindfulness to the things that are positive and enjoyable. And it's helpful. And it also kind of goes along with what you're, you're one of your prior quotes about the sandbox. I mean, if you can, if people can get together and still play in the sandbox together, even though they may not agree on things, that's a positive, positive aspect. Yeah. Okay.  Yeah, I have. And generally speaking, it'll be a conglomeration or a mixture of everything that I'm seeing. But, you know, I have, but I had a quote that comparison is a thief of joy. And because I saw a lot of that, how people, you know, deprive themselves of joy by comparing their situation to others. And, you know, I also came up with this other phrase that resilience, character and creativity are the offspring of failure, acknowledging that there will be failures. And you need failures to remind you of the strength and the positive, you know, characteristics that you have. So, you know, I, yes, I do come up with my own quotes every now and then. And those are based on your own life experience and your own thoughts. And maybe also based on your history of the favorite quotes that you've used in the past, too, maybe, is that, would that be correct? Well, that's a very accurate description of how that thinking process works. Okay, let's talk about one of your next favorite quotes. What is this next one about? So, I thought, you know, this quote kind of encapsulated, well, how do we deal with everything that's going on? And how do we keep moving forward? And what do we need to acknowledge about ourselves to trust that we're going to make it? Basically, that's kind of the just and the quote reads that the only dream worth having is the dream that you will live while you are alive and die only when you're dead. To love, to be loved, to never forget your own insignificance, to never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of life around you, to seek joy in the saddest places, to pursue beauty to its lair, to never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple, to respect strength but never power, and above all, to watch, to try and understand, to never look away and never, never forget. And so it's an acknowledgement that you have to go through life and life will come with all of these challenges but you remember to watch without giving up and you and constantly watch so that you're aware of what is happening and still push on. And this quote was from Arun Hatti Roy. Who is that?  And so she posts a lot of these types of quotes that have to do with human suffering and pushing through it and, you know, keeping on, you know, keep going in spite of the challenges of life. You know, and I've noticed that a lot of your quotes are like that. I mean, your quotes are not just happiness, happiness. They are recognizing that there are some downsides in life and you've got to be strong. You've got to push through them. That's life and you've got to live with it. And that's what I see now as we talk. And a lot of your quotes is just that recognition, that understanding, yet you use a positive attitude and the right words to push through. Is that am I reading this right? Just exactly. That's the message that I'm giving to myself and sharing with others. Well, let's go. We have a minute left in our discussion. What personal advice would you, Morisata, give to others, especially here in Hawaii, who are facing depression, frustration or material changes in their lives? What is your advice to them? Well, basically, first acknowledge that the pain is real. That the suffering is real. And oftentimes people who are going through these, you know, challenging times, people try to fix them. They don't acknowledge what they're going through. So first recognize and allow them to feel what they're feeling. But the main thing is that know that, you know, there are people around, you know, who will sit through it with you and that things, things do change. Basically, everything is temporary. At some point in time, it would change. And the fact, the very fact that we are still living is a record of the 100% success that we have in overcoming our challenges. I really appreciate that. And you are actually using social media to sit with people, as well as yourself, to recognize downsides, but to look for upsides. And I really appreciate that. And so thank you. Thank you for being my guest today. Thank you for your sharing words of inspiration. And look forward to more on your Facebook page. Thank you. Morisata, thank you very much. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and donate to us at ThinkTechHawaii.com. Mahalo.


Let's hope these clouds just keep going and they just cooled us down a little bit. I can't turn it up. You guys hear it okay? All right. Good evening and welcome to the 2022-2023 Central Vermont Career Center awards ceremony. Thank you for coming. My name is Jodi Emerson and the Superintendent Director of the Central Vermont Career Center School District. As many of you know, this was our first year as an independent school district. Thank you for the voters across this field right now and across our ascending career and technical education. In addition to becoming our own school district supported by a board that is representative of our ascending region, we added two new opportunities for students this past year. We added emergency services level two in collaboration with Vermont Technical College where students are taking paramedicine courses and we added design and fabrication in collaboration with the Vermont Granite Museum, a model of teaching by contracting with Vermont heating and ventilation to provide us a master plumber in support of our plumbing and heating program this year. It is so exciting to partner with college and industry as this allows our students to truly be career ready. The students before you are leaving us this evening with several industry recognized credentials, college credits and or the opportunity to sit for a state licensure exam. Our students have worked very hard to get where they are today. Good job. I would like to welcome you to look around. The Central Vermont Career Center receives students from surrounding districts spanning many many square miles. There are students and families represented here from Cabot High School, Danville High School, Harwood Union High School, Lemoyle Union High School, Montpelier High School, Northfield Middle and High School, Randolph Union High School, Spalding High School, Twinfield Union High School, U-32 Middle and High School, Williamstown Middle and High School, and many home study students as well from across our region. Thank you all for making the CVCC learning community possible. Although I'm sure we are all ready for summer, it is difficult when you have to send off some of your own. It's always hard to say farewell to amazing staff who are headed to new challenges. I want to thank Jerry Remor for all the work he has done here on behalf of students as our STEM coordinator. He has also been our testing assessment coordinator and done just about everything we've asked him to, including sub in almost every classroom and helped set up today. So thank you, Jerry, for all that you have done and for always being a helping hand. Sadly, we are closing our natural resources program with this class here today and our instructor who joined us for one year and did a phenomenal job taking kids on so many field trips and getting lots of great experiences. We wish Ari Latanzee good luck as she heads off on a new career path. Thank you, Ari. We're moving some classrooms around for next year. I want to give a big shout out to all of the careers that are students and staff who spent much of this week cleaning and moving materials for us. So thank you so much for that. When you arrived today, I had hoped that a playlist would be playing and that you would have music while you waited. And unfortunately due to technical difficulties, that didn't happen. And every single song that was on my playlist, the title of is in the next few paragraphs that I have for you. So maybe you'll catch a few of those titles and go home and listen to them and I'm sorry you didn't get to hear them before the event today. Every day we all make hundreds, sometimes thousands of decisions. Some of them without thought. For all of us, there are times when we make decisions we are proud to have made and others when we look back that we wish we may have responded differently. I hope that each and every one of you recognizes when you have done well and that you give yourself credit where credit is due. It's important to look back every now and then and reflect on how far we've come. If you've made mistakes and we all have, remind yourself that you are responsible and that you can take this opportunity to learn and grow.  Then take a moment to catch your breath, refocus, be brave and rise up. Know that the climb up from what feels like rock bottom may not be easy but that you are unstoppable. These are days that build your character and strengthen you. There will be times when you hear the word no and you must understand that no is not a bad word. Sometimes it's a blessing. Sometimes it simply means not yet. It's important to have patience, don't stop believing and persist when you know you are on the right track. It's true that when one door closes another opens. For some of you your high school experience is coming to a close and ahead of you there are wide open spaces. You might be thinking good riddance to high school and saying I'll see you again someday to your friends. Meanwhile your parents might be saying you're on your own kid. To students and parents alike I guarantee you're going to miss this time in your lives. For those of you who will return to us next year, whether faculty or student, I look forward to continuing to work with you. For those students who have completed your high school requirements and are taking your next steps, many of you are heading straight into industry you've trained for. Some of you heading to college for additional training. Some of you headed into the military. And others of you, you haven't decided yet. That's OK. Take all that you have learned thus far and apply it as you see fit moving forward. My wish is that when you look back you can say I lived. Maybe you'll look back on your life and think of these times as a good old days. Though it is likely that the best day of your life is yet ahead of you. I encourage you to be a light. Be humble and kind. Be thankful for all that you have and keep moving forward chasing your dreams till you can't. We have three student speakers tonight. Students are nominated by program instructors and invited to give a speech at this ceremony. This year we had several nominations and three students who drafted speeches for the occasion. At this time I would like to invite our first student speaker to the stage, Willow Sellers. You want to be pretty close to it so people can hear you. Should I stand up here? Only if you need to. Hello, everyone. Families. Can you hear me? Awesome. I've never spoken into a microphone before. OK. Families, faculty, and my fellow peers behind me. I actually tried looking up online. How to even write one of these? But that was getting too difficult. So I decided to do it myself. Like most people, typical public high school was not my jam and I'm sure most of you guys can relate. I've always struggled with the average school's curriculum and environment. I heard about CVCC as an eighth grader and ever since that assembly in my auditorium I've been looking forward to the day I would be able to come here. The day I got my acceptance letter I was at my sending school anticipating it all day. I opened my email and almost as soon as I got the notification on my phone I burst out crying with joy. But I'm not embarrassed by that. When you find an opportunity like CVCC you might cry. And naturally I called my mom yelling I got in, I got in, I got in. Ever since I was little I've had a passion for all things hair and beauty. Little Me would take any opportunity to play with my grandma's hair, even my partially balding grandfather. But that didn't stop me. I feel fortunate to have known my passion at such a young age, knowing a lot of kids don't have a clue in the world what they want to do. But that's where CVCC comes into play. You don't need to know exactly what you want to do with your life to come here. Take the exploratory program for example. It literally has explore in the name. For those of you that don't know, exploratory is available for students who want to come to a program but aren't old enough yet or just don't know their passion yet. Yet is a key word there. I know people here who had no idea that they'd enjoy their program as much as they do now. And it is truly credible to see. Switching gears a little bit, I'd like to say a few thank yous. First of all, my teacher, Miss McCritchie. Your teaching style and your love for cosmetology is truly amazing and inspires me to excel. In all my 11 years of school, I've never wanted to learn until I came to your class. When I was a freshman, my friend was in your class. And at that point, I had already had my mind set on coming here, but hearing her explain and talk about her experience in your classroom made me all the more excited. My next thank you goes out to the administrators who are constantly working their bets off here. And sometimes I feel like they don't get nearly as much appreciation as they should. I see all your efforts, and I'm grateful that you all make this place as welcoming and as safe as possible. Next, my classmates, who have now become some of my best friends. Apparently, that's rare in a class full of mostly girls. And honestly, in the beginning, it was looking to be true. But as the year went on, we settled our differences. And I'm so grateful for that. To wrap this up, I'd just like to say that this has been the best school year I've ever had. And I'm looking forward to another great one next year. Thank you. And now I'm going to turn it over to the assistant director here at CBCC, Hannah Leland. We will continue our celebration this evening by presenting a number of our outstanding students with awards and scholarships generously donated by community organizations, businesses, and individuals who recognize the value of a solid technical education and who want to encourage our students as they further their studies or begin their technical careers. The first award we will be presenting this evening is the Golden Wrench Award. This award is presented by the Vermont Automotive Enthusiast to an outstanding junior in the Automotive Technology Program. This junior shows excellent workplace skills and craftsmanship both in and out of the shop. The award consists of over $1,000 worth of tools and scholarships. This year's award winner, John Marcellus, was presented this award prior to tonight's evening. John, please stand to be recognized. Congratulations to John on receiving this award. The next award is the American Legion Auxiliary Berry Unit Number 10 Scholarship. Will medical profession student, Kailin Townsend, please come forward? The American Legion Auxiliary is the world's largest women's patriotic service organization. The men and women who make up the membership of the department and local posts continue to serve America and its citizens by providing access to deserving young men and women who focus on betterment of their lives through higher education. Maria McKnight, representative of the American Legion Auxiliary, will present Kailin with the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 10 Scholarship of $1,000. Congratulations Kailin. Next is the Berry Kiwanis Club Award. Will cosmetology student, Amira Sievertsson, please come forward? The Kiwanis Club focuses on serving the children of the world, specifically helping children thrive, prosper, and grow. During their time at CVCC, Amira has focused on supporting all students at Central Vermont Career Center as a student member of the State Board of Education. We hope Amira continues to thrive in all of her future endeavors. Representative Randy Trace will present Amira with $1,000 Berry Kiwanis Club Award. Congratulations, Amira. The next award is from Benoit Electric. This award is presented to a graduating electrical student. The student will receive a donation of tools of the trade. Will electrical technology student, Kail Peacore, please come forward? Ms. Emerson will present Kail with the tools of the trade gift. Congratulations, Kail. The next award is from Boldick Metal and Recycling. This award, named the You Crush It Award, is for either a plumbing, electrical, or building trade student. Will co-op plumbing and heating student, Cole Dizon, please come forward? Ms. Emerson will present Cole with a $250 check from Boldick Metal and Recycling. Congratulations, Cole. Tools of the trade. The next award is from the Kingsbury Companies. This award is to be given to a deserving student who will be gifted a tool of the trade. Will plumbing and heating student, Marshall Asia, please come forward? Ms. Emerson will present Marshall with the tools of the trade gift. Congratulations, Marshall. I'm holding my dress, I'm sorry. Oh my god. The next award is from Lenny Shoe and Apparel, Inc. This is the first of two awards being given by Lenny Shoe and Apparel to purchase on-the-job clothing and footwear. Each is to be given to one student in the plumbing and heating or co-op with a grade point average of 3.0 or better. For the first award, will co-op plumbing and heating program student, Tucker Collins, please come forward? Mr. Mark McCarthy of Lenny Shoe and Apparel will present Tucker with a $500 gift card. Congratulations, Tucker. The second gift card given by Lenny Shoe and Apparel is also to purchase on-the-job clothing and footwear for a student in the plumbing and heating program or co-op with a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Will co-op plumbing and heating program student, Jackson Bailey Perkins, please come forward? Mr. McCarthy will present Jackson with a $1,000 gift card. Congratulations, Jackson. Next is the Lisa P. Donahue Award. This award goes out to honor the legacy of Lisa Donahue, who was a fierce businesswoman in a male-dominated field. It is being presented to a female youth student in a non-traditional program who has fully completed their programs with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and must have shown proven leadership skills. Will emergency medical services program student, Eleanor Johnson, please come forward? Eleanor demonstrates a passion for lifelong learning and a passion for helping others. They continue to demonstrate the progress needed in a male-dominated industry by being top in their class, passionate for continued learning and a future leader in their industry. Eleanor is a fierce, driven individual who will go far in their industry and future endeavors. Ms. Renita Marshall of the Helping Hands Foundation, Inc. will present Eleanor with a check for $1,000. Congratulations, Eleanor. Next is the Melvin Amemoria McKnight Award. Will medical profession student, Amira Lewis, please come forward? The award will be presented as a $500 McKnight Award in appreciation of her hard work this school year. Congratulations, Amira. Next is the Michael W. Stone Memorial Scholarship. The recipient of the Michael W. Stone Memorial Scholarship is meant to be presented to an automotive student who displays compassion for helping others within the community and who is a lifelong learner. Automotive technology student, Dylan Bashaan, please come forward. Ari Crawford will be presenting Dylan with a letter that includes instructions on how to receive the $1,000 award and would also like to say a few words. Good evening. It is an honor to be here this evening to celebrate the accomplishments of Dylan for the first Michael W. Stone Memorial Scholarship. Prior to this evening's event, the committee shared with me words from teachers and counselors of Dylan's. They described him as a wonderful contributor to the CVCC community. He's a leader in his program, always on task, and helping his peers when needed. Dylan is kind and inclusive to everyone, as well as a role model to all other students. Dylan is self-motivated and is an exceptionally hard worker. He strives to get better at the things most important to him. Dylan is a wonderful teammate and leads by example. As I read what your counselors and teachers had written Dylan, the thought that came to my mind was what a wonderful choice of mentors, what a wonderful choice your mentors and peers made. They described so many of the wonderful traits and values of Michael Stone. Michael was a wonderful contributor to the community. He was always energetic and excited about sharing his passion, knowledge, skills, and talents, whether he shared this with family, friends, employees, students, and customers through conversation or by taking action to assist them when they needed help. He was equally excited by learning from others if they were willing to share their passions, their talents, their skills, and their knowledge. Michael always welcomed having a student from the automotive class to work with hands-on at a service station for their first working experience, both as a mechanic and to work on their communications with customers. Learning to appreciate the value of customer service and relationships. There was, so. Sorry, we have to be because of thunder. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Sorry, no one's right. Yeah, we'll catch them. No, no, no. Sorry, we're gonna move the students off of the metal since it sounds like thunder. And I know Thunder Road is happening, but I just don't think that's what it is. What do you wanna do? Try to move to the, try to move to the gym? Gym? If we can get it open? Yeah, we can. We're gonna move everybody into the gym. We're not gonna be quite as organized in there, but hopefully we'll be a lot safer. So bring your chairs with you, please. My keys, I have keys, I have keys. My tools are right here, I have all my stuff. Oh, that's not it. Sorry. This is yours. Yep. I'm going to the gym, hopefully. The gym? That's the word. Amen, more.