Prof Jo Phoenix vs The OU - Employment Tribunal Thread 2

[ickky]

Abbreviations

JP - Jo Phoenix, Claimant (C)
OU - The Open University, Respondent (R)
J - Regional Employment Judge Young
P - Panel or panel member
BC - Ben Cooper KC, Counsel for C
JM - Jane Mulcahy KC, Counsel for R

OU Departments & Networks:

HWSRA - Health & Wellbeing Strategic Research Area
FASS - Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
SPC - Dept of Social Policy & Criminology
KMi - Knowledge Media Institute
GCRN - Gender Critical Research Network

OU witnesses

CW - Chris Williams, Senior Lecturer History
CT - Catherine Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
SE - Sarah Earle, Prof of Medical Sociology, Director HWSRA 2016-22
DD - Dr Deborah Drake, Senior Lecturer Criminology, Head of SPC 2018-21
LW - Louise Westmarland, Prof of Criminology, Co-Deputy Head SPC, 2018-21, Current Head SPC
LD - Dr Leigh Downes, Senior Lecturer in Criminology (in SPC), Academic Lead for EDI FASS 2019-21
PB - Dr Paraskevi Boukli, Former Senior Lecturer Criminology, Deputy Head SPC 2021-22
MW - Prof Marcia Wilson, Dean EDI, 2020-23
CM - Caragh Molloy, Group People Director 2019-23
JD - John Domingue, Prof of Computing Science, Director KMi, 2015-22
PK - Peter Keogh, Professor Health & Society, Member RSSH
CW - Dr Christopher Williams, Senior Lecturer History
SD - Shaun Daley, Head OU’s Resourcing Hub. Head Strategic Resources, Co-Chair OU’s LGBT+ Staff Network
HBC - Helen Bowes-Catton, Lecturer Social Research Methods
NS - Nicola Snarey, Assoc Lecturer Eng Language
NatS - Natalie Starkey, Outreach & Public Engagement Officer Sch Physical Sciences, 2019-22
CT - Cath Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
SJ - Samantha Jacobson, Employee Relations Case Manager
RH - Richard Holliman, Prof Engaged Research, Head School Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences, 2019-22. Member of Investigation Panel investigating the C’s grievance

Witness for JP:

SE - Sarah Earle, Professor Modern History Uni of Oxford, Founding member GCRN

Tribunal Tweets - https://twitter.com/tribunaltweets

TT coverage so far https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/professor-jo-phoenix-v-the-open-university

Thread 1
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4905118-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-2nd-october-whispers-ben-cooper?page=1

IF getting tired and due a break for juice and biccies soon.

Yes it always seems to get a bit fraught at this time of the day.

There’s a small number of people who think the earth is flat. But we don’t go about silencing all talk of the globe. We mostly just ignore them.

BC: The strength of opposition to JP in her dept inhibits how you the management respond to the situation.

IF is thinking about it...

IF: I guess the head of dept is trying to find a reasonable way through difficult situation. I reasonably tried to toughen it up in terms of academic freedom rights. Difficult cos some people in dept have a v different take on things.

[we could add reasonable to nuance for the number of times used]

I was surprised he said 'small' number of people. He could have just said ' a number ' of people. I suppose it plays into the whole ' vulnerable minority' thing.

IF definitely getting fractious.

And a slightly hopeful spin on word knowledge

IF- (with irritation)you making it sound as if keeping everything peaceful was the wrong thing to do.

I think it is BC's style, start off very pleasant, weave a web, then go in for the kill. He puts the witness off balance.

Erm. Peaceful for whom?

OH NO he is breaking it down, watch out!

BC: You talk to EDI Dean and the LGBT network chairs. You say Essex events can't be ignored but I've asked Comms team to make it as neutral and bland as possible.

IF: You're making it sound as if there's something wrong trying to keep faculty on a peaceable footing. Faculty has loads of things it has to do - 101 tasks, enormous faculty. It's reasonable to try and avoid unnecessary inflammations among its staff. So ok to write up the Essex events in the news sections of the faculty newsletter.

BC: Thank you for that interesting answer...

IF just listed all the Very Important Things he has to do as part of his Very Big Job. Again.

BC – if you had a group of people in your dept that didn’t like gay people, you wouldn't treat them (the gay people) less favourably than other people.

When BC says 'interesting answer's is that a bit like when Sir Humphrey said 'brave decision Minister'?

IF just wanted everyone to fuck off and stop making his very important job difficult.

Oh yes.

Yes exactly 😂

😂😂😂

Break until 3.15

I bet it messed up his golf schedule with his Very Important Friends.

IF didn't want to waste any more time on this, when other things needed to be dealt with.

Well it's not very peaceful for Jo who I'm sure, along with all the other women who've dared to say publicly that biology matters, has probably received death and rape threats and feels unsafe and unwelcomed in her working environment.

I think he means peaceful FOR HIM. Why the hell is he a manager if he has this attitude?

IF says the situation/subject was consuming significant amounts of time where there were other things that needed to be achieved - so he knew it was a big problem. But probably not the kind of problem that he wanted to sort out, what with his Big Job and all. This is reminding me of the Garden Court management in Allison Bailey's case, and all their important jobs.

There's no kudos in dealing with what in IF's mind is basically a staff spat. It's not the Billy Big Bollocks part of his job and he knows someone will be pissed off whatever he does. So he does nothing.