Sara Morrison vs Belfast Film Festival

[NorthernIrishFeminist]

Employers seem to be slow learners when it comes to women's rights! There’s another employment tribunal case being brought by a woman who attended and took the microphone at a Let Women Speak event in Belfast last year and has been treated very badly by her employer Belfast Film Festival as a result.

Looks like we’re going to have to keep gardening until they get the message.

disclaimer. I don’t know Sara and have no connection to BFF I’m just a woman who likes donating to causes that make a difference

from NW on Nitter

He apologises for the potential this has to "capsize matters". Judge wants to know when the BFF team were informed. Chambers says when they arrived at court this morning.

@nickwallis
3m
... a lot of pressure. New information apparently came to light at 10am this morning and he says the nature of it means Morrison's side want to make a recusal application.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
4m
Also judge understands there is an application being made, but says it should have been presented to her before 1130 this morning. Chambers apologises for the message which he wrote to the court telling the judge his side were not ready to begin. Says he is under...
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
6m
She is furious that neither counsel for Morrison (Naomi Cunningham and Charlotte Elves) have had the courtesy to appear before her this morning to explain what is going on.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
7m
Neither barrister representing Morrison is in court. Her solicitor Simon Chambers is fielding the questions. Judge said she is "disgusted" by being so "heavily disrespected" by one side.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
8m
Drama here at the beginning of Day 5 of Morrison v BFF in Belfast. Morrison's legal team have informed the judge that they will not be ready to start until 2pm. The judge is livid. Says it is not for counsel to dictate when court sits

That’s what I recall from early on

Obviously overnight someone dug something up on someone that caused other someones to be highly concerned that someone can't do their job impartially.

And I know we will eventually find out what someone found on someone else but I want to know RIGHT NOW.

Has to be the judge I reckon otherwise surely they'd have let the judge know what was going on?

THIS IS VERY HIGH DRAMA!!!!

(Sorry, needed a shout!)

Points out that she asked Claimants' side two weeks ago for a schedule to be handed up on Monday and it still hasn't been done.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
1m
Judge is, to use NI vernacular "ragin'"
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
2m
And that any recusal application will be "vehemently opposed".
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
2m
Judge turns to Sean Doherty for the BFF. Doherty lists the authorities Judge will need to consider when the application is made.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
4m
Judge wants to know why Cunningham and Elves "have left you to deal with this". Chambers says they are both "locked in their lodgings" writing the application.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
6m
He apologises for the potential this has to "capsize matters". Judge wants to know when the BFF team were informed. Chambers says when they arrived at court this morning

Wasn't it Deborah who twitched?

Who knew that the law was so exciting. Im beginning to regret some of my career choices in the past.
Gripped.

https://tenor.com/bkaVP.gif

I suppose restarting the tribunal will give MD the chance to, er, find, all those emails about the BPP event.

They're in a place where everybody knows everybody else. When I was working in the tribunal world in Belfast, many years ago, finding a panel of three people who didn't know any of the parties was a giant pain in the hole.

There follows a discussion about proceedings being held in private. Both Chambers and Doherty indicate a preference for it to be held in private. I stand up, Judge allows me to speak and I say that if the parties which the recusal to be held in private...
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
1m
Doesn't see why the court should be kept waiting until 2pm. Asks what's the problem with starting at 1pm. Chambers asks if he can make a phone call before answering. Other side have not problem. Judge makes a decision. “Get them here for one o’clock”.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
2m
... her evidence or not she will be released from oath for the weekend.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
3m
J "I am not happy about the way this has been handled... the complete lack of courtesy and disrespect which has been shown by your counsel this morning". Points out that Michele Devlin is still under oath and has been since Wednesday. Makes it clear whether MD has finished...
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
4m
Points out that she asked Claimants' side two weeks ago for a schedule to be handed up on Monday and it still hasn't been done

Thank you!

I can't actually knit and paste at the same time, which is annoying.
The recovery involves sitting on my recliner sofa with two thick pillows under my leg, drinking teaand occupying myself. As I am up to date on my TV shows (apart from last night's MAFS) I can watch new films and old shows or do something useful such as paste NW's tweets.

I am a speed reader which helps and I generally don't read the tweets until I post them. I copy from X open in a Chrome window on my iPad mini. A Notes app is also open and I paste them there where it already says From NW so I don't type that every time. If I don't paste into Notes the separate lines indicating who is speaking get lost.

I then highlight and remove time stamps and usernames that have come from X, copy the lot and paste here. MN is open in a separate Chrome window.

It's pretty much full time and I have to keep switching between MN and X. Hence me missing the drama. I was trying to catch up with the rest of the thread as I was out till 1130. Plus I need the loo and lots of black cardamom tea.

I also read other MN threads in snatches (I'm a sucker for the Trending threads) and I will comment here when it becomes too ludicrous to ignore (like yesterday afternoon). So sometimes you'll get 5 posts in one and I have to remove more extraneous X stuff.

I'm also autistic so I can be focused on this without getting tired or bored.

I could probably be quicker if I used my laptop but it's more uncomfortable on my lap.

Im posting without bothering to format from Nick Wallis (@nickwallis) | nitter

I hadn't realised he'd carried on. Thanks, Marie

“Get them here for one o’clock”.

EEEEK!

She's well pissed isn't she.

Nick is asking for help from lawyers to keep decision open!

.. (particularly if you are up on NI employment tribunal recusal proceedings)... to help me out via DM.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
1m
I am going to do what I can to read up on the authorities I can use to make the case for being present at and reporting the recusal application, but I would be extremely grateful if there were any media lawyers or court reporters...
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
3m
... I would seek to oppose it in the interests of open justice given the decision that will be made in or after the hearing could have a significant outcome on the case.
Nick Wallis

@nickwallis
4m
There follows a discussion about proceedings being held in private. Both Chambers and Doherty indicate a preference for it to be held in private. I stand up, Judge allows me to speak and I say that if the parties which the recusal to be held in private..

Yep!

From NW

... I would seek to oppose it in the interests of open justice given the decision that will be made in or after the hearing could have a significant outcome on the case.

They won't have time to get their piece!

NW hasn't posted since the above, so I don't know if the trib has 'risen' until 1 or what - I'll keep an eye on NW and post any update immediately.

Risen, yes.

lol that’s their lunch :) for all the englishers