Why did the union report the University to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE)?  
In our survey on the impacts of the Academic Futures process, what many members shared with us had direct and possibly very serious consequences to health and safety. We alerted the employer straight away – on 30 April, in the same meeting at which we agreed the guarantee of no compulsory redundancies in 2025.

We have been clear with UEB about our intentions from the start. On 9 May we emailed the University Executive again, asking them for prompt communication and agreed action plan, otherwise we would need to alert the HSE.

Since 30 April, extra meetings with the wellbeing team were scheduled, as a result of which they drafted a list of potential actions. We made concrete suggestions in our feedback, but we haven’t received an updated proposal, let alone a joint strategy to discuss or agree on. Six weeks down the line and with no concrete actions on the horizon, members felt it was our duty to alert the HSE. In our General Meeting on 28 May, a motion was proposed from the floor to report to HSE, and the motion was carried by a vote. The executive therefore acted on the members’ decision.

Is staff wellbeing actually okay? Is the union weaponising the reported risk of suicide?
Our University Executive Board have repeatedly noted that they recognise the effect of the Academic Futures process on staff. Our survey on the impacts of the process is unequivocal, and emphasises that the stress is, to a large extent, work-related. Our university knows firsthand the risk of staff suicide. As a union at our general meeting, we agreed that we must act on a faster timeline because of the risk and responsibility.

Why did the union make a press release?
The CU wellbeing team is trying, but they say it themselves: they don’t have the resources to tackle the scale of this crisis. Going to the press is a way to make this a priority.