THE academics’ union accused the University of Leicester toay of escalating a row over redundancies by threatening staff with pay deductions.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are due to begin three weeks of strike action next Monday after staff across six academic areas were told their jobs were at risk. They will also take action short of a strike.

Today, UCU branch co-chairwoman Caren Frosch condemned management plans to deduct 50 per cent of wages from staff who fail to volunteer for some activities or refuse to reschedule cancelled classes, on top of 100 per cent deductions for each day of strike action.

“Rather than adopt such an appalling stance the university should follow what other institutions have done and confirm there will be no compulsory redundancies,” she said.

A university spokesperson said: “We will only deduct pay where there is a breach of contractual duties and where this would have an adverse impact on students.”