26 June 2008
Lecturers at North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI) yesterday (25 June) agreed to ballot on possible strike action after the Institute's failure to tackle the bullying of staff. Members of the UCU branch in NEWI voted unanimously to ballot branch members on strike action and action short of a strike in connection with the Institute's failure to agree a resolution to a collective grievance over complaints about bullying.
The branch also unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the professionalism of the Institute's Human Resource managers.
Eight complaints have been made in the past few months about bullying within a particular School at the Institute, but the Institute's authorities have failed to take action.
UCU lodged a collective grievance in January that was rejected by NEWI managers. UCU presented the findings of a health and safety survey in March that showed urgent action was needed in one School, where 5 out of 13 academics had been bullied.
Over the past five months, the union has repeatedly asked for an independent investigation into the allegations and has written to the Head of Human Resources, the chair of the Academic Common Interest Group, the Principal and the Chair of the Board of Governors.
UCU's head of employment rights, Roger Kline, is writing to the Institute to remind employers of their duty of care to staff including a duty to prevent bullying and harassment.
If UCU members vote for industrial action, it is likely to take place in September.
Wales UCU regional official Margaret Phelan said:
'Bullying is a major concern amongst staff in colleges and universities, and a cause of stress and illness. It is all too common and UCU is taking bullying very seriously, wherever it happens.'
Trevor Phillipspress@ucu.org.uk|
Tel:020 7520 1032
Mobile: 07773 796 882
Fax:020 7278 9383
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Well, you are a bit late UCU, but you are more than welcome. Now move on and deal with workplace bullying not just in the above HEI, but in all the others too. You will find that the above is not an isolated case.
3 comments:
A great move forward UCU.
That is what taking wpb seriously might look like...
Aphra Behn
The bullying at NEWI is terrible but sadly not new for that particular HEI - they have done it before http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=151643§ioncode=26
Let's hope UCU and its members support the action at NEWI
UCU will NOT do a wider investigation of bullying in British HE. They have too many vested interests in keeping it going.
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