The FFAW has come out swinging in response to its decision not to accept the candidacy of Jason Sullivan for president of the union.

Sullivan, a long-time critic of the union and one-time member of the rival union FISH-NL, calls it a dark day for Newfoundland and Labrador, and for democracy.

That leaves current FFAW negotiator Greg Pretty and west coast businessman Dave Callahan as the only two candidates.

The executive committee favours Pretty to succeed Keith Sullivan as president.

The union says a Constitutional Amendment was put forth and unanimously passed in 2018 with the objective of preventing members of an organization trying to replace the FFAW from running for elected positions.

In a release issued Wednesday afternoon, FFAW Secretary-Treasurer Jason Spingle says for the better part of the last decade, Jason Sullivan has “made it his mission to discredit” the union “and hundreds of democratically elected members who volunteer their time and energy on the Executive Board, councils and various committees.” The union says Sullivan “continues to make vile, slanderous attacks on individuals.”

The union is holding its secret ballot election tomorrow afternoon.