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UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD STAFF HORROR
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Star date: 15th December 2014 SALFORD UNIVERSITY STAFF FORCED OUT BY SECURITY AS PROF MARTIN HALL'S LEGACY HITS HOME Horrified and stunned University of Salford staff have threatened industrial action as two members of staff were physically forced out of their workplace last week in what bosses called `a redundancy matter'. The workers, from the University's marketing department, hadn't done anything wrong but they were ordered to clear their desks and leave immediately, escorted by security. This is yet another appalling legacy of retiring Vice Chancellor Martin Hall. Full details here...
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Two long serving staff members from Salford University's marketing department have been forced to leave their workplace, escorted by security, even though they hadn't done anything wrong. University bosses confirmed that the staff dismissal wasn't a disciplinary matter, nor was it a problem of `capability' or health, it was purely a `redundancy matter'. Yet, normally in `redundancy matters' staff are entitled to thirty days consultation, trade union representation and can be offered other suitable jobs in their department. Here they were ordered to clear their desks and leave immediately, with security in attendance. A clue to the University's incredible behaviour is that one of the staff members was a trade union rep, and both had raised a grievance, through the proper channels and with other staff members, in regard to matters of concern regarding marketing and recruitment. At a staff meeting of the joint trade unions - UCU and UNISON - last week, the Salford Star understands that a vote was taken to begin industrial action unless the two workers are reinstated. This appalling treatment of staff is just part of the final legacy of Professor Martin Hall who announced his retirement last week. Hall arrived in 2009 with a so-called `liberal' philosophy but under his tutelage hundreds of staff have been sacked and bullied, and former lecturer Gary Duke was hounded through the courts at massive expense for a `satirical publication' related to those job losses (see previous Salford Star articles – click here, click here and click here). Meanwhile, the University was re-branded University of Salford Manchester at a cost of £170,000 and the place has gone down twelve places in the CUG university league tables – from 72nd when Hall arrived six years ago, to 84th this year. Announcing his retirement, Professor Hall stated: "It has been a privilege to work and live in Salford and to have been able to contribute to the University's continuing success. Our students and staff are an inspiration to all who believe in universities and their role in society..." Except those who get hounded through the courts, sacked, bullied or escorted off the premises for no apparent reason... • The University of Salford press department stopped responding to Salford Star requests for comments a few years ago.
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Many Years at Salford wrote
at 11:18:27 on 30 December 2014 |
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| To whoever this guy Slurp is - clearly you never worked as an academic and probably do not have the intellect to either.
I have spent more years in the private sector than the public sector - there is one major difference: If you are a 'boss' in a private company, unless you are completely stupid, you would do your best to stop bullying because ultimately, it kills productivity and therefore, has an effect on the bottom line. In the public sector, the senior managers do not care because a loss of productivity doesn't matter unless students complain and then the University blames the staff by bullying them as opposed to their addressing their own dysfunction. They will also pursue court cases despite them having no chance of success because again, it's not their money. Public sector officials are totally corrupt and unscrupulous. |
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slurp wrote
at 21:28:35 on 19 December 2014 |
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| The public sector make me weep. The rest of us would probably cringe at what constitutes bullying in these organisations. Too precious and thin skinned by half in their little sinecures funded by the rest of us . It's not surprising they resort to any trick to perpetuate their life of riley. |
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UoS wrote
at 19:51:31 on 18 December 2014 |
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| A clue to what has caused Professor Hall's sudden departure seems to have been offered by the Times Higher. Dr Graves (remember him?), the former Deputy, has almost unbelievably brought an employment tribunal claim against the University for unfair dismissal. I am told - whether it is true I know not - that Dr Graves was utterly stunned at the news of his own dismissal and vowed upon hearing it to take others down with him. Since parties to tribunal proceedings pay their own costs, and since the amount of compensation Dr Graves would be entitled to is limited by law to a relatively small sum of money, I would imagine that the driver for the sudden cancellation of the planned hearing dates in January was evidence Dr Graves was able to adduce as a result of the disclosure process, which precedes a formal hearing. Put another way, it was not likely to be the cost factor which drove the decision for the University. It is possible the University simply did not want its 'dirty linen' washing in public. What prompted Professor Hall to resign I know not - perhaps he could not stomach the thought of another trial. Perhaps something was set to be disclosed about him which he did not want making public. Perhaps Council refused to allow the trial to continue. Whatever the reason the legacy of Dr Graves seems to me to still be poisoning the institution. Professor Hall had come to Salford from a relatively sheltered position in Cape Town. He was used to collaboration and cooperation as the basis of institutional management. He learned the hard way that the culture is very different in England. That it is the mendacious, the self-serving and the duplicitous that advance here. He found himself at Salford in an environment which was utterly different to that from which he came and which he was not entirely well equipped to deal with. It is easy to say in retrospect what should have been done differently. I have always maintained on here that Professor Hall was a prisoner of the decisions of his predecessor, and that includes the unfortunate factor of inheriting Dr Graves as a senior staff member. His room for action was always limited. I hope he is able to enjoy his life in South Africa and live out a good retirement. It is really no way for an illustrious career to end and it will not be how he envisaged his career reaching its apex. Shame on Dr Graves, who has sadly turned out to be exactly the sort of man I feared he was, but hoped he was not. |
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Salford onion wrote
at 06:38:16 on 18 December 2014 |
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| Wow Kelly I rattled your cage then! Hall has been a disaster darling! |
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Many Years at Salford wrote
at 17:44:31 on 16 December 2014 |
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| There is quite a lot of truth in what Mr Kelly says. I have been at Salford years and subjected to constant bullying and discrimination. No grievances were upheld despite indelible evidence. I was subjected to massive pay cut and eventually, I became very ill, signed off for months but with no sick pay.
Ironically, the individuals responsible for bullying me was UCU member and was the one who actually encouraged me to join. A rep sat and watched the bullying for years and at times, joined in.
The UCU mean well but are understaffed, not well informed and simply, too busy/unable to assert who really needs help. They do harbor bullies so Mr Kelly, I agree with you on that point but that does not take any blame away from the evil that festers in this organisation. |
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em3 wrote
at 11:07:29 on 16 December 2014 |
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| who is that bloke who tells us someone 'is not a very likeable person'? unacceptable, judgemental and probably sexist. Also lots of industrial action has happened there over the years - not just now! |
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Tom Kelly wrote
at 11:05:10 on 16 December 2014 |
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| haha Onion. Comedian who knows nothing about Salford University. I despise Hall and many of the others cronies that have come in over the years. But I also despise many of the other hypocrites who sneak under the radar and treat their colleagues just as badly.
I have been the victim of bullying at Salford so know exactly what I am talking about. I was made very ill and had to leave a very successful well paid career behind me. I have a series of questions for the UCU leadership: What is your view on bullying? Do you realise that UCU members have been bullies? Is it ok for more senior staff to bully the people they supervise? Do you always take industrial action when staff loose their jobs? If a formal complaint of bullying doesn't take place does that mean it hasn't happened? What did you do when a number of IT staff where escorted off the premises by security? What do you do when academic staff bully support staff? Do you know how many people have actually just up and left Salford because they couldn't stand another day there any longer? Is Onion another well paid Academic looking down his nose at the rest? Do you believe in Karma? The answer to the last question is that for many years I didn't but now at long last there is a God. Thank you. Justice! So Onion person you've heard the facts from Mr Tom. I will debate with you any day you care. |
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Salford onion wrote
at 07:20:32 on 16 December 2014 |
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| Is Tom Kelly really Martin Hall? He sounds like they have roughed together! |
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Chaz wrote
at 21:18:03 on 15 December 2014 |
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| Check this out?!?!
Police monitoring folk at a University fracking debate!!!!!
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/15/police-university-list-fracking-debate
This is truly horrific. We need to separate ourselves from this foul cesspit before our kids pay for our folly #EvoManc |
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Tom Kelly wrote
at 21:17:59 on 15 December 2014 |
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| Morley I worked at the place for a very long time and don't disagree with most of what you say. However, one of the individuals concerned caused at least two people to be very ill and leave their jobs. UCU was aware of one of the instances a number of years ago and the other Unison supported the member quite recently. I can have no sympathy for this particular person and if you knew the details you wouldn't either. What goes around comes around - my conscience is very clear and I sleep well at night. I doubt the person I am alluding to won't sleep well. I do have great empathy for the other person who I understand is a union rep. |
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Salford Lad wrote
at 20:18:08 on 15 December 2014 |
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| There is a culture of academic bullying at the University of Salford, it is not just the Gary Duke case, I have got mates who have experienced serious intimidation from "cyber security", and another who has had to cope with open and public discrimination from a “Senior Member of Staff” at the Students Union (that was white-washed during an "internal investigation"), from my experience I'm sure there is more
There is a very nasty side to some of those University of Salford suits who are entrenched in corporate lala land
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Moley wrote
at 18:09:32 on 15 December 2014 |
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| What sort of person has a go at someone who has been treated that way? Tom Kelly you might want to take a look at yourself. Other questions also need to be asked - like why were people forced into redundancy while pregnant or ill while overpaid executives who can't do their jobs remain in post? Why ridiculous sums were spent on a rebranding? Why people who have reduced responsibilities have not received pay cut? Why sickness has increased (especially via stress at work)? Why students have left to take up places at other universities after starting at Salford (now there's a good FOI request) and how many interim staff are in support functions and what they are being paid? I'd rather people were asking those questions publicly (what do the governors do anyway?) rather than attacking someone's character who has just gone thrugh such an horrific experience. Priorities. |
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Tom Kelly wrote
at 15:53:05 on 15 December 2014 |
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| Just some further thoughts. At least one of the staff has access to the University's CRM (customer relationship management) system which is concerned with communicating with potential and actual student applicants. It makes complete sense that the University would protect itself by removing the staff from the premises in view of potential damage that could be inflicted on this key IT system.
The staff concerned are on paid 3 months gardening leave whilst they work their notice. Over the years many staff have been treated much worse and 'industrial action' has never been contemplated. I would safely bet my life on it that neither UCU or UNISON region will allow industrial action to be taken in this case. The cirumstances are certainly not unique at Salford Uni. I would also remind the relevenat UCU leadership that no ballet of the mebership has been taken and it is doubtful they would support at least one of the members of staff whose hasn't always been kindly to some of her colleagues through the years. I can't help but think that there is a thing called karma.
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Tom Kelly wrote
at 15:36:23 on 15 December 2014 |
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| A few issues I think need to be raised. Many staff have been treated in this way by the University over the last 10 years. Actually many have also undergone years of bullying before this point. Why are the Unions for the first time in my memory taking or threatening industrial action over individual cases? They have never done this before and I'm afraid the cynic in me thinks it is because a Union rep is involved. Secondly, is this not a simple case of redundancy with the staff concerned being asked to work their notice period on gardening leave - not that uncommon anywhere these days. As a final aside and I can't go into too many details but one of the individuals is in my experience/opinion not a very likeable person and some of her colleagues will not be too upset to see the back of her - not that this justifies the University breaking the law or their own procedures if this in fact turns out to be the case? Indeed, I know of at least two individuals who left their jobs directly as a result of the person concerned so I for one will not be shedding any tears. There have been many kind, lovely, decent people who have lost their jobs in worse circunstances who the UCU did not take industrial action over. So why now? |
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julie Eddison wrote
at 15:36:18 on 15 December 2014 |
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| This is how a dictator behaves. Disgusting! |
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