#lawsuit

#Roberto_Mozzachiodi, UK

SOLIDARITY WITH ROBERTO MOZZACHIODI

https://assets.change.org/photos/9/bb/zi/vobbzIeOOExPpRf-800x450-noPad.jpg?1686775905

After years of unparalleled academic and political work at Goldsmiths, our colleague, friend, teacher, caseworker, union branch co-Secretary #Roberto_Mozzachiodi has been put through an unfair employment process, and as a result no longer holds a substantive teaching position at the College. Roberto’s case reflects the working conditions of hundreds of staff at Goldsmiths, and thousands of staff employed on precarious, fixed-term, temporary contracts across British Higher Education. It also reflects the risks that come with openly committing to collective, ground-up solidarity that challenges the principles of how university work is organised, and reimagines union work accordingly.

Roberto has been a leading figure in the fight against casualisation at Goldsmiths, and has been at the heart of campaigns that have radically transformed our place of work and study. He was core in the Goldsmiths #Justice_for_Cleaners and Goldsmiths #Justice_for_Workers movements that brought cleaning and security staff in-house, and core in the fight to extend basic rights to casualised workers at Goldsmiths at the height of the pandemic. He has supported countless staff and students through the grinding labour of union casework, and has worked tirelessly on strengthening and transforming the Goldsmiths branch of UCU through a radical commitment to anti-casualisation, anti-racism, and anti-factionalism, often fighting and organising for the rights of others in far more secure positions.

Roberto’s specific case mirrors that of thousands across the country employed on temporary, fixed-term, and casualised contracts. Roberto was denied his redundancy-related employment rights when his contract came to an end. This involved, amongst other things, not being consulted on suitable alternative employment, including a permanent position very similar to the role he had been performing on a fixed-term basis over three terms. This amounts to a denial of casualised workers’ employment rights, and is something that is commonplace at Goldsmiths, and across the sector.

As signatories of this letter, we call on Goldsmiths to act on the unjust treatment of Roberto. We also urge all at Goldsmiths and beyond to actively resist and challenge the endemic nature of precarious work in university life - at all times and at all scales, as Roberto has always done.

Signed,

Alice Elliot, Lecturer, Goldsmiths University of London
Victoria Chwa, President, Goldsmiths Students’ Union
Alicia Suriel Melchor, Operations Assistant, Forensic Architecture / Goldsmiths.
Vicky Blake, UCU NEC, former president & Uni of Leeds UCU officer, former Chair of UCU Anti-Casualisation Committee
Cecilia Wee, Associate Lecturer, Royal College of Art & co-Chair/co-Equalities RCA UCU branch
Joe Newman, Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London
James Eastwood, Co-Chair, Queen Mary UCU
S Joss, HW UCU Branch President
Rehana Zaman, Lecturer Art Department, Goldsmiths University of London
Marina Baldissera Pacchetti, anti-cas officer, Leeds UCU
Sam Morecroft, USIC UCU Branch President and UCU Anti Casualisation Committee
Kyran Joughin, Anti-Casualisation Officer, UCU London Region Executive Committee, UCU NEC Member, former Branch Secretary, UCU-UAL
Rhian Elinor Keyse, Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Birkbeck UCU Branch Secretary; UCU Anti-Casualisation Committee; UCU NEC
Joanne Tatham, Reader, Royal College of Art and RCA UCU branch committee member, London
Bianca Griffani, PhD candidate, Goldsmiths University of London, London
Paola Debellis, PhD student, Goldsmiths, University of London.
Ashok Kumar, Senior Lecturer, Birkbeck, University of London
Chrys Papaioannou, Birkbeck UCU
Fergal Hanna, PhD Student, University of Cambridge, UCU Anti-Casualisation Committee and Cambridge UCU Executive Committee member
Robert Deakin, Research Assistant, Goldsmiths, University of London
Grace Tillyard, ESRC postdoctoral fellow, MCCS Goldsmiths
Yari Lanci, Associate Lecturer, Goldsmiths University of London.
Caleb Day, Postgraduate researcher, Foundation tutor and UCU Anti-Casualisation Officer, Durham University
Rachel Wilson, PhD Candidate, Goldsmiths University of London
Sean Wallis, Branch President, UCL UCU, and NEC member
Yaiza Hernández Velázquez, Lecturer, Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths.
Akanksha Mehta, Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London
Cathy Nugent, PhD Candidate, Goldsmiths, University of London
Janna Graham, Lecturer Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths
Isobel Harbison, Art Department, Goldsmiths
Susan Kelly, Art Department, Goldsmiths
Jessa Mockridge, Library, Goldsmiths
Vincent Møystad, Associate Lecturer, MCCS, Goldsmiths
Dhanveer Singh Brar, Lecturer, School of History, University of Leeds
James Burton, Senior Lecturer, MCCS, Goldsmiths
Louis Moreno, Lecturer, Goldsmiths
Jennifer Warren, Visiting Lecturer, Goldsmiths MCCS
Anthony Faramelli, Lecturer, Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths, University of London
Billy Godfrey, Doctoral Researcher, Loughborough University; GTA, University of Manchester
Fabiana Palladino, Associate Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London
Morgan Rhys Powell, Doctoral Researcher and GTA; University of Manchester
Tom Cowin, Anti-Casualisation Officer, Sussex UCU
Conrad Moriarty-Cole, Lecturer, University of Brighton, and former PhD student at Goldsmiths College
Marina Vishmidt, MCCS Lecturer, Goldsmiths University of London
George Briley, Universities of London Branch Secretary, IWGB
Callum Cant, Postdoctoral Researcher, Oxford Internet Institute
Daniel C. Blight, Lecturer, University of Brighton
Marion Lieutaud, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, LSE UCU anti-casualisation co-officer, London School of Economics
Lukas Slothuus, LSE Fellow, LSE UCU anti-casualisation co-officer, London School of Economics
Matthew Lee, UCL Unison Steward & IWGB Universities of London Representative
Jamie Woodcock, University of Essex
Dylan Carver, Anti-Casualisation Officer, University of Oxford
Annie Goh, Lecturer, LCC UAL
George Mather, PGR Anti-Casualisation Officer, University of Oxford
Zara Dinnen, Branch co-chair QMUCU
Henry Chango Lopez - IWGB Union, General Secretary
Rhiannon Lockley - Branch Chair Birmingham City University UCU; UCU NEC
Sol Gamsu, Branch President, Durham University UCU
Ben Ralph, Branch President, University of Bath UCU
Myka Tucker-Abramson, University of Warwick UCU
Lisa Tilley, SOAS UCU
James Brackley, Lecturer in Accounting, University of Sheffield
Alex Fairfax-Cholmeley, Communications Officer, Uni of Exeter UCU
Ioana Cerasella Chis, University of Birmingham (incoming branch officer)
Muireann Crowley, University of Edinburgh, UCU Edinburgh
Jonny Jones, associate lecturer, UCL
Danai Avgeri, University of Cambridge, postdoctoral fellow
Stefano Cremonesi, Durham University UCU
Jordan Osserman, Lecturer, Essex UCU Member Secretary
Danny Millum, Librarian, Sussex UCU Exec Member
Sanaz Raji, ISRF Fellow, Northumbria University, Founder & Caseworker, Unis Resist Border Controls (URBC)
Alex Brent, GMB South London Universities Branch Secretary
Gareth Spencer, PCS Culture Group President
Floyd Codlin, Environmental & Ethics Officer, Birkbeck
Clare Qualmann, Associate Professor, University of East London and UCU branch treasurer, UEL
Kevin Biderman, Brighton UCU anti-casualisation officer
David Morris, CSM / University of the Arts London UCU
Ryan Burns, Brighton UCU Secretary
Julie canavan Brighton UCU
Charlotte Terrell, Postdoc, Oxford UCU
Clara Paillard, Unite the Union, former President of PCS Union Culture Group
Jasmine Lota, PCS British Museum United Branch Secretary
Joe Hayns, RHUL.
Adam Barr, Birkbeck Unison
Dario Carugo, Associate Professor, University of Oxford
Jacob Gracie, KCL Fair Pay for GTAs
Rahul Patel, UCU London Region Executive and Joint Sec University of the Arts London UCU
Billy Woods, Essex UCU
Lucy Mercer, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Exeter
Goldsmiths Anti-Racist Action (GARA)
Saumya Ranjan Nath, University of Sussex
Islam al Khatib, 22/23 Welfare and Liberation Officer, Goldsmiths SU
Mijke van der Drift, Tutor, Royal College of Art
Marini Thorne, PHD student and teaching assistant, Columbia University and member of Student Workers of Columbia
Genevieve Smart, PhD student, Birkbeck
Francesco Pontarelli, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Johannesburg
Gloria Lawton, Outreach Homeless Worker, HARP and undergraduate Birkbeck University.
Grant Buttars, UCU Scotland Vice President
Goldsmiths Community Solidarity
Nicola Pratt, Professor, University of Warwick
Robert Stearn, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Birkbeck, University of London
Jake Arnfield, UVW Union
Jarrah O’Neill, Cambridge UCU
Owen Miller, Lecturer, SOAS
Marissa Begonia, Director, The Voice of Domestic Workers
Neda Genova, Research Fellow, University of Warwick
Joey Whitfield, Cardiff University UCU
Leila Mimmack, Equity Young Members Councillor
Ross Gibson, University of Strathclyde
Phill Wilson-Perkin, co-chair Bectu Art Technicians, London
Isabelle Tarran, Campaigns and Activities Officer, Goldsmiths Students Union
Leila Prasad, lecturer, Goldsmiths
Malcolm James, University of Sussex
Natalia Cecire, University of Sussex
Daniel Molto, University of Sussex
Emma Harrison, University of Sussex
Margherita Huntley, University of the Arts London (Camberwell UCU)
Gavin Schwartz-Leeper, Warwick University UCU Co-Chair
Mary Wrenn, University of the West of England
Aska Welford (United Voices of the World)
855 Unterschriften:Nächstes Ziel: 1.000

▻https://www.change.org/p/solidarity-with-roberto-mozzachiodi?recruiter=false

#petition #UK #Goldsmiths #precarity #union_work #British_Higher_Education #fixed_term #UCU

#Maria_Toft, Denmark

In #Denmark #scientists are rolling out a nationwide #petition for a commission to investigate #research_freedom

–> ▻https://seenthis.net/messages/1009865

PhD student at the Department of Political Science #Maria_Toft, in addition to the mentioned petition, also started a campaign under the hashtag #pleasedontstealmywork to stop the theft of research.

–> ▻https://seenthis.net/messages/1009866

The national conversation about exploitation with #pleasedontstealmywork campaign was at the cost of #Maria_Tofts Copenhagen fellowship.

–> ▻https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/campaigning-doctoral-candidate-resigns-hostile-environment (access if registered)

This article assesses the #working_conditions of #precariat_researchers in #Denmark.

–> ▻https://seenthis.net/messages/1009867

Twitter link: ▻https://twitter.com/GirrKatja/status/1640636016330432512

#Heike_Egner, Austria

Unterstütze #Heike_Egner für Grundrechte von Profs

▻https://youtu.be/6w-deHpsmr4

Ich sammle Spenden für eine juristische Klärung, die zwar meine Person betrifft, jedoch weitreichende Bedeutung für Professorinnen und Professoren im deutschsprachigen Wissenschaftsbereich hat. Die Entlassung einer Professorin oder eines Professors aus einer (unbefristeten) Professur galt bis vor kurzem noch als undenkbar. Mittlerweile ist das nicht nur möglich, sondern nimmt rasant zu.

Der Sachverhalt: Ich wurde 2018 als Universitätsprofessorin fristlos entlassen. Für mich kam das aus heiterem Himmel, da es keinerlei Vorwarnung gab. Erst vor Gericht habe ich die Gründe dafür erfahren. Der Vorwurf lautet, ich hätte Mobbing und psychische Gewalt gegen wissenschaftliche Nachwuchskräfte und andere Mitarbeiter ausgeübt. Vor Gericht zeigte sich, dass die Vorwürfe durchwegs auf von mir vorgenommene Leistungsbewertungen basieren, die von den Betreffenden als ungerecht empfunden wurden. Die Bewertung von Leistungen von Studierenden und Nachwuchswissenschaftlern gehört zu den Dienstaufgaben einer Universitätsprofessorin, ebenso wie die Evaluierung von Leistungen der Mitarbeiter jenseits der Qualifikationserfordernisse zu den Dienstaufgaben einer Institutsvorständin an einer Universität gehört.

Mittlerweile liegt der Fall beim Obersten Gerichtshof in Österreich. Ich habe eine „außerordentliche Revision“ eingereicht, da ich der Meinung bin, dass die Art meiner Entlassung von grundlegender Bedeutung für die Arbeitsbedingungen von Professoren an Universitäten ist. Unter anderem ist folgendes zu klären:

Darf eine Universitätsprofessorin oder ein Universitätsprofessor aufgrund von anonym vorgetragenen Vorwürfen entlassen werden?
Darf eine Universitätsprofessorin oder ein Universitätsprofessor aufgrund von ihr oder ihm durchgeführten negativen Leistungsbewertungen entlassen werden?

Sollte die Berufungsentscheidung rechtskräftig bleiben, ist damit legitimiert, dass eine Professorin oder ein Professor aufgrund von freihändig formulierten und anonym vorgetragenen Behauptungen jederzeit entlassen werden kann. Dies entspricht einer willkürlichen Entlassung und öffnet Missbrauch Tür und Tor, da es Universitäten ermöglicht, sich jederzeit ihrer Professoren zu entledigen. Eine Universität ist aufgrund ihrer Struktur und ihres Auftrags eine grundsätzlich spannungsgeladene Organisation; hier lassen sich jederzeit unzufriedene Studenten, Nachwuchskräfte oder Mitarbeiter finden, die eine Beschwerde äußern. Die Möglichkeit willkürlicher Entlassung steht nicht nur in Konflikt mit den Formulierungen und der Zielsetzung des Arbeitnehmerschutzes, sondern auch mit der in der Verfassung verankerten Freiheit von Wissenschaft, Forschung und Lehre.

Wofür bitte ich um Unterstützung?
Es ist ein ungleicher Kampf, da die Universität Steuergelder in unbegrenzter Höhe zur Verfügung hat und ich – ohne Rechtsschutzversicherung – das volle Risiko des Rechtsstreits persönlich trage. Die bisherigen Kosten des Verfahrens belaufen sich auf etwa 120.000 € (eigene Anwaltskosten und Anwaltskosten der Gegenseite). Damit sind meine Ersparnisse weitgehend aufgebraucht.

Mein Spendenziel beträgt 80.000 €.
Dies umfasst die etwa 60.000 € Anwaltskosten der Gegenseite, die ich aufgrund des Urteils in zweiter Instanz zu tragen habe. Die weiteren 20.000 € fließen in die Forschung über die Entlassung von Professorinnen und Professoren, die ich seit 2020 mit einer Kollegin aus privaten Mitteln betreibe.

Publizierte Forschungsergebnisse zur Entlassung von Professorinnen und Professoren

Egner, Heike & Anke Uhlenwinkel (2021). Entlassung und öffentliche Degradierung von Professorinnen. Eine empirische Analyse struktureller Gemeinsamkeiten anscheinend unterschiedlicher „Fälle“. Beiträge zur Hochschulforschung, 43(1-2), 62–84. Download PDF
Egner, Heike & Anke Uhlenwinkel (2021). Zur Rechtsstaatlichkeit universitätsinterner Verfahren bei Entlassung oder öffentlicher Degradierung von Professor*innen. Ordnung der Wissenschaft, 3(3), 173–184. Download PDF
Egner, Heike & Anke Uhlenwinkel (2023). Über Schwierigkeiten der betriebsrätlichen Vertretung von Professor(innen). Zeitschrift für Hochschulrecht(22), 57–64.
Egner, Heike & Anke Uhlenwinkel (2023). Zertifikat als Grundrecht? Über Leistungsansprüche und -erwartungen im Kontext struktureller Veränderungen an Universitäten. Hochschulwesen(1+2), 28–43.

▻https://www.gofundme.com/f/fur-grundrechte-von-professoren

Aus dem Video: Rektor hat Betriebsratsvorsitzenden aufgetragen gezielt belastbares Material in Schriftform gegen Heike Enger zu sammeln. Betreibsrat kam Auffroderung bereiwilling nach und sprach gezielt Mitarbeitende an und bat sie aufzuschreiben, worüber sie sich geärgert haben und dies auszuhändigen. Zeuge der Universität hat dieses Vorgehen vor Gericht vorgetragen.

#academia #university #Austria #Klagenfurt #professor #dismissal #arbitrary #publications #lawsuit #evaluation #scientific_freedom

#Susanne_Täuber, Netherlands

Reinstate #Susanne_Täuber, protect social safety and academic freedom at the RUG

10 March 2023

To prof. Jouke de Vries, President, and members of the Board of the University of Groningen,

We, the undersigned employees and students of the University of Groningen (UG), joined by concerned observers and colleagues at institutions around the world, are appalled at the firing of Dr. Susanne Täuber. The facts of this case are clear: Dr. Täuber was punished for exerting her academic freedom. The same court that allowed the UG to fire her also made it clear that it was the university’s negative reaction to an essay about her experiences of gender discrimination at the university that “seriously disturbed” their work relationship. Alarming details have also been made public about how the university pressured Dr. Täuber to censor future publications, in order to retain her position.

The protest in front of the Academy Building on 8 March, International Women’s Day, and the continuing press attention and social media outcry, demonstrate that this case has consequences far beyond one university. Firing a scholar who publishes work that is critical of powerful institutions, including the university itself, sets a disturbing precedent for us all. We, the employees and students, ARE the UG, and we refuse to let this act be carried out in our names. We call on the University Board to reinstate Dr. Täuber, without delay, as an associate professor, and to ensure that she is provided with a safe working environment.

The firing of Dr. Täuber has surfaced structural problems that necessitate immediate action by the University Board and all UG faculties. It is unacceptable that when a “disrupted employment relationship” emerges within a department, the more vulnerable person is fired. This points to a broader pattern at Dutch universities, as evidenced by the YAG Report (2021), the LNVH Report (2019), and other recent cases: in cases of transgressive behavior, Full Professors, Principal Investigators (PIs), and managers are protected, while employees of lower rank, or students, bear the consequences. If we are to continue performing our education and research mission, then this practice must be reformed, and the University of Groningen has an opportunity to lead here. We call on the University Board to work with labor unions, the LNVH, the University Council, and Faculty Councils to design and implement a safe, independent procedure for addressing violations of social safety: one that prioritizes the protection and support of vulnerable parties.

Internal reforms will help ensure the safety of students and employees, but they will not repair the damage these events have caused to the reputation of the University of Groningen. The termination of a scholar who publishes field-leading research that is critical of academia has triggered doubts among employees, students, and the public about the UG’s commitment to academic freedom. This action is already raising concerns from talented job candidates, and we fear a chilling effect on critical research at the UG and beyond. We call on the University of Groningen, in partnership with the Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), the Ministry of Education, and the labor unions, to enshrine protections for academic freedom in the Collective Labor Agreement.

Reinstate Dr. Täuber, reform complaint procedures, and establish binding protections for academic freedom. The relationship between the University of Groningen and the people it employs, teaches, and serves has been severely disrupted in the past weeks, but that relationship can be repaired if the Board begins taking these actions today.

Sincerely,

—

References:
Leidse hoogleraar ging ‘meerdere jaren’ in de fout. (2022, October 25). NRC. ▻https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2022/10/25/leidse-hoogleraar-ging-meerdere-jaren-in-de-fout-a4146291

LNVH. (2019). Harassment in Dutch academia. Exploring manifestations, facilitating factors, effects and solutions. ▻https://www.lnvh.nl/a-3078/harassment-in-dutch-academia.-exploring-manifestations-facilitating-factors-eff.

Täuber, S. (2020). Undoing Gender in Academia: Personal Reflections on Equal Opportunity Schemes. Journal of Management Studies, 57(8), 1718–1724. ▻https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12516

Upton, B. (2023, March 8). Court rules Groningen is free to fire critical lecturer. Times Higher Education (THE). ▻https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/court-rules-groningen-free-fire-critical-lecturer

Veldhuis, P., & Marée, K. (2023, March 8). Groningse universiteit mag kritische docent ontslaan. NRC. ▻https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2023/03/08/groningse-universiteit-mag-kritische-docent-ontslaan-a4158914

Young Academy Groningen. (2021). Harassment at the University of Groningen. ▻https://www.rug.nl/news/2021/10/young-academy-groningen-publishes-report-on-harassment-in-academia

▻https://openletter.earth/reinstate-susanne-tauber-protect-social-safety-and-academic-freedom-at

The article:

Täuber, S. (2020) ‘Undoing Gender in Academia: Personal Reflections on Equal Opportunity Schemes’, Journal of Management Studies, 57(8), pp. 1718–1724.

–> ▻https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joms.12516