From Risks, the TUC’s weekly online bulletin for safety reps and others, number 831, January 6, 2018
An art lecturer driven to the verge of a breakdown by a succession of maddening management decisions has thanked her union UCU after she was ‘vindicated’ in court. Kate R was bullied, shunted between successively worse classrooms, and then found her desk had been dumped in a skip. But things reached crisis point after her ‘cry for help’ emails to the college dean went ignored. Criticising the ‘callous’ managers for ignoring her emails, the trial judge noted “it was harder to think of a clearer notification of an impending risk to mental health not drafted by a lawyer or a psychiatrist.”
The judge observed the failure to act was a “remarkably cavalier response to clear signposts.” He found that the college dean “believed that she was crying wolf” to get her way. Kate was awarded £159,000 in damages. “It was those two emails, without them I didn’t have a case,” she said. “I went through the wringer. I couldn’t sleep, I still have problems. I became suicidal at times. I cried at work a lot. I’d worked so hard and been treated so badly. I was terrified of going to work. Terrified of my managers. I didn’t know what they were going to do next.
I was on antidepressants until a month after I won the case. I still struggle, but I feel vindicated. I am glad it went to court. I feel believed.” Kate is “very grateful to UCU. They’ve been so supportive. Everyone should be a member of a union. You’ve no idea what is around the corner, and you need that assurance. You insure your car, your house. You should insure your work life.”
