UNI STRIKE ACTION

Students could be left with coursework unmarked, lectures and seminars cancelled, and their exam programmes thrown into chaos if a pay deal cannot be reached.

The union wants its members' pay brought into line with equivalent professionals.

It argues that additional Government funding - plus the extra billions of pounds from controversial top-up fees '“ means that employers can now afford to sort out staff pay.

The employers have not yet made the unions any pay offer and the AUT said that a failure to swiftly do so will lead to unparalleled industrial action across the UK's universities.

Sussex AUT president Jim Guild said: 'The ballot result gives a clear mandate for industrial action.

'We remain committed to avoiding any disruption to students' work; however, the employers must come back with an acceptable offer on pay.

'We have no desire whatsoever to put the futures of Sussex's students at risk, but we have had enough of the employers procrastinating on this issue.

'If they do not make a decent pay offer in the next few weeks then we will have little choice but to take industrial action.'