The CNV trade union has started a campaign on social safety at TU Delft. There are posters at bus stops on and around campus that inform people about a contact point, and trade union staff will walk around campus at lunchtime and talk to people.
(Photo: Thijs van Reeuwijk)
‘Reports about intimidation, racism, bullying and exclusion at TU Delft’ and ‘The Inspectorate of Education talks of mismanagement’. Posters with these texts started appearing on more and more bus stops on and around the campus last week. On the posters, CNV calls on people to report any ‘concerns about the lack of social safety at TU Delft’ or to ask for advice.
The posters refer to a CNV contact point where people can make their concerns or requests for advice known anonymously if they wish and if also they are not CNV members. On its website, CNV says that it is working hard with politicians and employers to create safe working environments. ‘But,’ it continues, ‘with the backing of our lawyers, we are there specially for you. A listening ear, for advice and if necessary (for anyone who has been a member for at least six months) legal support.’
Three solutions
Since TU Delft published the Inspectorate of Education’s report about the lack of social safety on 1 March, the local trade unions have regularly made their voices heard. It started with a call to the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board to not start legal action against the Inspectorate, which they ultimately listened to. After that, the unions drew attention to the performance of the Undesirable Behaviour Complaints Committee, continuity within the Executive Board, and the composition of the social safety project team.
Since the end of spring, the local unions have pleaded – supported by their national departments – for three solutions that they believe are needed to make a start on increasing social safety: a baseline measurement, a contact point, and assessments of new and current employees. Now the CNV has also set up a contact point. To let people know it is there and to be able to speak directly with staff members, CNV staff members will come to campus in various lunch breaks.
So what were the Inspectorate’s findings again?
The Inspectorate of Education investigated transgressive behaviour at TU Delft from December 2022 to November 2023. In the resulting report, the investigators speak of intimidation, racism, sexism, bullying, exclusion, gossiping, social insecurity due to lack of leadership and a culture of fear, among other things. For instance, employees are said to be afraid to voice their opinions and hold each other accountable for behaviour.
The effects among TU Delft employees who have reported to the inspection are often long-lasting and hampering. The inspectorate speaks of psychological and physical health complaints, absence from work and a general feeling of insecurity. Stress, burnout, depression and PTSD, crying and tense home situations also occur, as do illness, vomiting at work, panic attacks and heart palpitations.
The inspectorate reports that TU Delft’s university administration has a lot of information regarding what is happening in terms of social safety, but that they ‘omit to add everything up so as to create a complete picture’. ‘The management’ also ‘does not adequately manage in terms of appropriate measures’. The Inspectorate believes that this is mismanagement.
Read the news and background articles on the Inspectorate’s report in our dossier.
Editor in chief
Saskia Bonger
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