Siptu members told to boycott NUIG gender equality taskforce

Academics affiliated to trade union Siptu at NUI Galway (NUIG) have been directed not to cooperate with the university's new taskforce on gender equality, which has promised a report by "no later than spring 2016".

Siptu’s academic section has also said it is lodging a “formal dispute” with NUIG as it presses for an “independent investigation” of gender equality issues at the university.

The trade union says that it was not consulted about the composition of the taskforce,which held its first meeting at NUIG today (mar 24).

Siptu describes it as “an effort to waste time in the hope that the issue will blow over, and with the expectation that the results from their handpicked panel will, in all essentials, be a whitewash”.

The taskforce, chaired by former Trinity College Dublin vice-provost Prof Jane Grimson, was appointed in the wake of issues raised by the Equality Tribunal after it found in favour of scientist Dr Micheline Sheehy Skeffington late last year.

Dr Sheehy Skeffington, who has retired from NUIG, has criticised what she describes as a “total lack of transparency” around promotions, and the appointment of the taskforce.

Siptu has said that the taskforce is “not independently constituted”, that it cannot conduct an independent investigation and that there are no guarantees regarding the confidentiality of its proceedings.

Taskforce members

NUIG said that 11 of the 16 taskforce members are female, and a number of members are “ leading experts in the fields of equality and diversity”.

The taskforce will “establish its own terms of reference and carry out its work independently of the university in an open and transparent manner”.

It will produce a “comprehensive report of its recommendations by no later than spring 2016”.

In a statement after her first meeting, Prof Grimson said she was “confident that the diversity of knowledge and experience among the membership of the taskforce will lead to well-informed decisions and recommendations on how to bring about sustainable transformation in gender equality and diversity in the university”.

Prof Grimson said: “The taskforce looks forward to engaging with the university community, whose experience and suggestions are critical to ensuring meaningful and sustainable change.”

The taskforce’s next meeting is due to take place in May.