Prof Jo Phoenix vs The OU - Employment Tribunal Thread 6

[ickky]

Started on 2nd October at Watford Employment Tribunal (Radius House, 51 Clarendon Rd, Watford WD17 1HP 01923 281750)

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URGENT CURRENT CASE - Public Access Request - J Phoenix - The Open University - 3322700/2021

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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

PB - Dr Paraskevi Boukli, Former Senior Lecturer Criminology, Deputy Head SPC 2021-22
IF - Prof Ian Fribbance Dean of FASS
MW - Prof Marcia Wilson, Dean EDI, 2020-23
CM - Caragh Molloy, Group People Director 2019-23
LD - Dr Leigh Downes, Senior Lecturer in Criminology (in SPC), Academic Lead for EDI FASS 2019-21
PK - Peter Keogh, Professor Health & Society, Member RSSH
CW - Dr Christopher Williams, Senior Lecturer History
KS - Kevin Shakesheff. PVC for Research and Innovation
DD - Dr Deborah Drake, Senior Lecturer Criminology, Head of SPC 2018-21
CT - Catherine Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
LW - Louise Westmarland, Prof of Criminology, Co-Deputy Head SPC, 2018-21, Current Head SPC
JD - John Domingue, Prof of Computing Science, Director KMi, 2015-22
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 - twitter.com/tribunaltweets

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

Prof Jo Phoenix Witness Statement (scroll to bottom of page and download)

jophoenix.substack.com/p/phoenix-v-open-university?sd=pf

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

Thread 2 www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4913946-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-2?page=1

Thread 3 www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4917480-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-3

Thread 4 www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4918479-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-4

Thread 5 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4919223-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-5

It's okay, I was just getting a bit lost as I thought LM and LW were two different people! 🤯

This witness is really not credible. Seriously? She was cancelled at a seminar... it was not a big deal.. nothing to see.... YET three of this witnesses friends had complained to her and asked her to have a 'friendly chat' with Jo . There is absolutely no consistency or coherency here.

She remembers that, though.

She's getting quite flustered now.

I think it's quite a big deal that LW has started talking about how she realised this topic was a big deal and how serious it was. As deputy head of department why didn't see do something about it

@pronounsbundlebundle I've just gone for the hot toddy this pm, but my lot are adults, so I haven't anywhere near the level of your serious responsibility.

LW: we have a lot of items in that section of the mtg. I remember there was a silence after JP mentioned she'd been cancelled at Essex. But I wouldn't call it a deathly silence.

I can't wait for DD's testimony. We're not going to finish today are we?

Is DD scheduled for tomorrow - I've lost track of the timetable (and days to be honest).

BC: in marked contrast people were effusive in congrats re other people

LW: I can't agree or deny

They said this morning DD was expected to continue into tomorrow.

She remembers that, though.

And the exact time JP arrived for the meeting, not about 9.30 or 9.30 ish, the exact time to the second, marvellous selective memory.

Normal response - oh no, Jo! What happened? Why? What can we do?

These people seriously didn't think that being 'cancelled' from a seminar would be upsetting... like this would happen as a normal run of the mill happening? As the deputy head of the department this person has very much an uneven approach of dealing with 'people's hurty feelings' and shows she is unprofessional in her application of her support.

Because the fragrant Deb was all over it!

Break incoming, along with another set of railing spikes?

I'm not sure I could cope with a hot toddy. I also have to go and pick up small child. DH is supposed to be picking up other child (I should probably check this is actually happening).

BC: your reaction was 'SIGH, I wish JP wouldn't do it'

LW: No, it wasn't 'SIGH I wish everyone would get along'

We are now having dramatic sighs entering the bingo card territory

LW: no one regarded JP as someone causing bother

BC: That's not consistent with what you have described c some people in the dept and their reaction

LW: Subsequently when I realised what cancelled at Essex meant I realised it had a greater significance for the claimant.

She's trying to downplay the impact on Jo.

'She wasn't crying, she was just sniffling'.

'There was silence, but it wasn't a deathly silence'.

LW chuckling away

BC finished with LW

Break until 3.20pm

Interesting how it's fine to cancel JP on the basis of the potential hurt feelings of random family members of uni admin staff but JP actually crying AT WORK is dealt with in such a cold and dismissive way.

Well, she has got to the worst witness for the OU so far. I hope she reflects on her abysmal performance in this tribunal and as a peer (?) of Jo?