00:00Who is leading the SWWTU and what's really going on in its operations?
00:06Well, Secretary General of the SWWTU Peter Morris sought today to set some things straight.
00:14According to him, Michael Arniset should no longer be functioning as President, but he's refusing to step down.
00:21However, Morris explains that an extension was given to Arniset's legal team to prove their position.
00:28The President General has been removed by the order of the court on the 18th of October last year.
00:36And he's now, based on the recent judgment from the appeal court,
00:42my understanding based on documents or correspondence from our attorney,
00:46is that the court awarded in favor of them that the decision taken on the 13th of April this year
00:55not to allow them to set aside was reversed.
00:59So they get the opportunity now to reapply and make an application before the high court
01:05to set aside the order that was made on the 18th of October.
01:09According to Morris, no President has been elected.
01:13We do not have an elected President.
01:16What we have is the office of the Secretary General, the Assistant Secretary General,
01:22the first Vice President, and all the other officers who were recently elected
01:27to the special conference of delegates for a special purpose.
01:30So Mr. Arniset is no longer the President General of the SWWTU.
01:34Based on my understanding from my attorney, that is correct.
01:38Morris tells TV6 he and the Assistant Secretary have been running the operations at the union since 2015.
01:46He adds that following a meeting yesterday with Mr. Arniset and other union members,
01:51there is a move to push them out.
01:53Meanwhile, Keane Braffet, the Massey Stores SWWTU branch chairman,
01:59stresses that the situation is affecting negotiations for workers.
02:04Braffet explains that some companies have their preferred parties to deal with
02:09and it's affecting members.
02:12This has a hold on all the unions in terms of going forward with negotiations
02:19and outstanding settlements.
02:22Because some of the companies are not recognizing Mr. Morris and Ms. Stewart
02:28as the Assistant Secretary and the General Secretary.
02:32So this whole thing is having a big impact on some of the companies.
02:37We won't be at Massey Stores because our company recognizes the Secretary General
02:44and the Assistant Secretary General, but it has companies that are not recognizing them.
02:49When contacted by TV6 via telephone for a response, Arniset had this to say.
02:55All that I will say, that I have, I wouldn't sanitize what I would call irreversible arrogance.
03:07Madness and hubris.
03:10He said the truth would be revealed.
03:13Reveal itself eventually like it is revealing itself.
03:19That we have a constitution of the union and everybody must respect it.
03:26That the constitution must not be used to suit people's whims and fancies unconveniently.
03:35That is all I am prepared to say.
03:37Nicole M Romany, TV6 News.
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