A survey of UCU members carried out in March this year at Leeds Metropolitan University revealed a disturbing culture of individual and institutional bullying. It followed repeated claims by UCU members – and furious denials by the Vice Chancellor – that bullying is rife in the university. On Wednesday 26th September the local BBC ‘Look North’ programme featured it. It was the headline item on the programme on Wednesday with an invitation for those working at Leeds Met to contact the BBC. Apparently they were receiving messages all evening. On Thursday27th September they did a follow up report stating that the overwhelming number of responses supported the claims of bullying and some giving their own stories, including from other universities.

Only three responses were positive to Leeds Met, and one of those turned out to be from within the personnel department. Sally Brown, Pro Vice Chancellor, and ‘Champion of the Staff Development Festival’, was interviewed trying to defend the university and rubbish the survey. The Health and Safety Executive have agreed to come in. You can view the extracts of the programmes on the BBC website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/looknorthyorkslincs/latest_stories/

UCU regional official Adrian Jones has asked the VC Simon Lee to personally initiate an investigation as long ago as last February and twice since. The UCU branch also asked him to meet to discuss how he – not UCU - could lead it from the front in partnership with the branch. He didn’t reply and he didn’t agree to meet.

Guidance on tackling bullying at work is available on the UCU web site at: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm and click on “Getting Support”

The Equality Challenge Unit has produced excellent guidance for employers in the HE Sector on tackling bullying and harassment at work. This guidance, Dignity at Work, was produced in collaboration with UCU and UNISON, and is available for download (no hard copy available) at: www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/guidancepublications/200612-DAWGoodPracticeGuide.pdf