Two trustees of Liverpool's Writing on the Wall festival organisation have resigned, as the fallout continues from the controversial dismissal of four employees whose private WhatsApp messages were read by their bosses.
Background of the Dispute
Last month, the ECHO reported that Jenny Dalton, Rachael Hankin, Shahrzad Akbar and Lyn Papadopoulos were sacked in April after a six-month saga that began with disciplinary investigations into messages shared in a private WhatsApp group. The messages were seen by one of the organisation's co-directors last September.
The sackings have led to regular protests, including gatherings outside Writing on the Wall events during the recent festival in May.
Trustees Step Down
Following the conclusion of this year's festival, Stuart Borthwick and Emy Onuora have both left the board. Borthwick, who joined in 2004, most recently served as chair of trustees. Onuora joined in 2010.
In a statement, Writing on the Wall thanked the two men: 'Everyone at Writing on the Wall extends their heartfelt thanks to Stuart and Emy for their outstanding commitment, generosity and belief in what WoW can achieve. Their guidance, friendship and dedication have helped shape the organisation we are today.'
Both trustees were involved in the process leading to the dismissals. Borthwick, as chair, instigated the initial investigation after managers read the staff's WhatsApp messages. The women had attempted to raise a grievance with Borthwick but said it did not progress. Onuora heard and dismissed the women's appeal.
Reactions from the Sacked Staff
Commenting on the resignations, the women said: 'These developments raise important questions about governance, accountability and decision-making within the organisation during the period in which our concerns were raised and our dispute has been ongoing. The resignation of both these directors... raises legitimate questions about the handling of these matters and the decisions that were made. It also reinforces our long-standing position that an independent investigation is needed.'
Festival's Response
Writing on the Wall said the trustees stepped down for personal reasons after completing periods of service, and that this is not related to the ongoing row. A spokesperson stated: 'Writing on the Wall continues to have a strong and experienced Board of Trustees. Trustees give their time voluntarily and as is common across the charity sector, people step down for personal reasons or after completing periods of service. To suggest otherwise is misleading. Our focus remains on delivering our work and supporting the communities we serve.'
