The Russell Islands Plantations Estate Limited, RIPEL, has filed an application, calling on the Registrar of Trade Unions to suspend or terminate the Solomon Islands National Union of Workers, SINUW from its register.

RIPEL had claimed that SINUW deliberately and unlawfully breached the Trade Union Act, the Trade Disputes Act and the Penal Code.

In its application, the RIPEL management said the company had suffered huge damages and losses because the union had been allowed to exist and operate freely and unlawfully.

The application stated that SINUW had conducted itself in a manner not befitting of a trade union organisation.

RIPEL had alleged that the union had involved itself in theft and sales of stolen company properties, contempt of several High Court Orders, supporting an unlawful and criminal take-over, occupation and a state of lawlessness on company property.

The Office of the Registrar of Trade Unions had confirmed receiving the application from RIPEL management, but declined to comment further.

SIBC News was not able to get any comments from the SINUW General Secretary Tony Kangovai, who was at a meeting when SIBC called his office.