A UNION has threatened legal action against Oxford Brookes University because members claim it deducted pay from staff who took part in a strike.
The University and College Union (UCU) – which has 300 members at the university – says lecturers were told they will lose a full day’s pay despite only walking out for two hours.
About 60 teaching research staff took part in three two-hour strikes in January and February over the lack of staff pay rises – losing a full day’s pay each time.
There were also three full-day strikes.
The dispute was resolved at the start of this month when the union’s members voted to accept a two per cent pay increase.
The UCU’s general secretary Sally Hunt has written to Oxford Brookes vice-chancellor Prof Janet Beer, asking the university to reconsider its position.
South West regional officer Nick Varney said: “We’re very clear there is a legal challenge here because it was a two-hour strike and we have evidence at Oxford Brookes where staff went back to work, which we instructed them to.
“We will seek a legal redress if we need to.”
Oxford Brookes spokesman Edward Reed said: “The university will consider Sally Hunt's letter and respond in due course.”
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