Tina Pretty 'removes herself' as FFAW election chair; legal challenge moves forward

Tina Pretty, whose ex-husband Greg won the FFAW-Unifor leadership on Jan. 5th, has "removed herself" as chair of the union’s election committee until the legal challenge of the election process is resolved. That was one of the demands made by the lawyer for fishermen Jason Sullivan and Dave Callahan, who recently threatened court action unless there's a new vote.

Darren O'Keefe, the St. john's lawyer representing Sullivan and Callahan, filed a grievance earlier this month with the FFAW-Unifor over the union's handling of the election for president — threatening court action unless a new vote is held.

Tina Pretty revealed she had stepped aside in a Jan. 26th response letter to O'Keefe. (She's replaced on the elections committee by Mark Dolomount of the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board, who will serve as interim chair.)

In her letter, Pretty also said the elections committee views the challenges by Sullivan and Callahan to be separate, and that both challenges have been accepted by the elections committee — which has given itself until Feb. 17th to respond.

Callahan, a St. George's crewman, and Sullivan, a Bay Bulls enterprise owner, were only informed of their eligibly status two days before the election.

Sullivan’s candidacy was rejected because of his affiliation with FISH-NL, a rival union to the FFAW that closed more than three years ago. Callahan’s candidacy was approved, but he wasn’t supplied voter contact information.

BACKGROUND ON FFAW ELECTION

On Jan. 5th, Greg Pretty was elected president of the FFAW-Unifor by a vote of 43 to 11 over Callahan.

Pretty was endorsed for president by the union’s executive board on Dec. 1st, within hours of former president Keith Sullivan’s surprise resignation.

Ryan Cleary,

Executive Director, SEA-NL

Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) is a professional, non-profit organization serving as the distinct voice for licensed, independent owner-operator inshore fish harvesters. You can read more about SEA-NL, and register for the Feb. 25th, 2023 AGM here.