Prof Jo Phoenix vs The OU - Employment Tribunal Thread 7

[ickky]

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

You may attend in person or remote viewing has been quite limited but you can request log in details from

Email
[email protected]

Header should read

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

Ask for access link and pin and please give your name and address in the email as they check when you connect to the tribunal.

The clerk will ask you (in a private remote room) to put your camera on to verify, this involves looking at you, but no ID is needed. You may turn off your camera after this pointless and unnecessary process.

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
NatS - Natalie Starkey, Outreach & Public Engagement Officer Sch Physical Sciences, 2019-22
HBC - Helen Bowes-Catton, Lecturer Social Research Methods
JD - John Domingue, Prof of Computing Science, Director KMi, 2015-22
LW - Louise Westmarland, Prof of Criminology, Co-Deputy Head SPC, 2018-21, Current Head SPC
RH - Richard Holliman, Prof Engaged Research, Head School Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences, 2019-22. Member of Investigation Panel investigating the C’s grievance
DD - Dr Deborah Drake, Senior Lecturer Criminology, Head of SPC 2018-21😇
CT - Catherine Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
SD - Shaun Daley, Head OU’s Resourcing Hub. Head Strategic Resources, Co-Chair OU’s LGBT+ Staff Network
NS - Nicola Snarey, Assoc Lecturer Eng Language
CT - Cath Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
SJ - Samantha Jacobson, Employee Relations Case Manager

Witness for JP:

SE - Professor Sarah Earle, Head of the HWSRA

Tribunal Tweets - https://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)

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

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

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

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

Thread 4 https://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

Thread 6 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4921308-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-6

BC: Presumably you read that

SD: Long pause. Reluctantly said yes.

Levels of awareness I am familiar with. I think we are hovering around a 2 here.

SD is the first witness to agree that the letter wanted the OU to disassociate from the GCN

BC: presumably you read the open letter

SD: pause. yes

BC: cos you signed it yourself

SD: not straight away but I did

BC: calls for OU to remove platform

SD: yes

BC: discriminatory

SD: my reasons for signing...

Chorus: answer the q

SD- My reason for signing that letter..
BC and J simultaneously - please answer the question

SD: yes unfortunately what I was calling for was discriminatory but I wanted OU to look at how staff networks were organised

SD just admitted the obvious - that the letter of acted upon would remove OU affiliation

They pinned the open letter at the top of the Yammer threads.

BC: this stayed pinned in yammer so JP would see it over and over

SD: Yes. Cttee wanted it pinned

OMG - just following orders (institutional culture) guv.

SD doesn't do things on his own. Always with others

I wonder if SD will be able to remember who wrote the letter

BC: no one from OU got in touch with you to consider taking it down cos causing JP great distress

SD: no they didn't

SD spiked and gone

SD finished his evidence.

Next witness

SJ - Samantha Jacobson, Employee Relations Case Manager

Again, this was all about supporting one group of people above anyone else, with no symmetry. Oh... no... I didn't think about how a pinned yammer would make someone from the team feel everytime they checked for messages.

A clear case of people virtue signalling solidarity without any thought to others.

Do these people get paid managerial salaries?

I almost cannot believe these people. Behaving as they did. And doubling down.

Are they proud of themselves? Really?

Yes, thankfully a quick one there 😂

BC: Good evening Miss Jacobsen

in contravention of affirmation of GI belief

Saying the quiet bit out loud again. Allowing your belief is not enough. Ensuring you aren't discriminated against for your belief is not enough. Everyone must affirm it. Repent of your sins. Confess that Gender is Lord, and that Stonewall is its representative on earth.

Oh is this the woman the HR director threw under the bus?

Going along withe the organisational culture at best. Why have we not seen more witnesses for Jo? Institutional culture again?

BC takes her to bullying and harassment policy they were following re JP complaint

BC: Timescales. Should agree one with claimant. Three options for dealing - line manager, investigatory panel, external expert be brought in.

SJ: It says may

BC: Yes, these are options

Reminded of the repent, repent, video