AN Oxford college has accused people of spreading 'false and misleading' news about it on social media.

Ruskin College hit out after the The University and College Union (UCU) last week accused it of 'victimising' members over their union actions.

The UCU claimed on Friday that three union reps who work at the college were facing disciplinary investigations, with one of them, Dr Lee Humber, suspended just days after the local branch passed a motion of no confidence in the college's principal.

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The union warned that if the college 'did not step back from pursuing unfounded disciplinary action and threatening to sack its members' then it could not rule out strike action.

Ruskin has now said the suspension, together with other disciplinary investigations, 'are internal staff disciplinary matters which are entirely unconnected with any trade union activity of those involved and they remain ongoing'.

It said 'no further comment on the detail of any disciplinary investigation would be made by the college until the matters were resolved'.

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However the college also accused people of spreading misleading information about March's vote of no confidence, saying it was not unanimous – as some claimed – even among UCU members, and was supported by less than 20 per cent of staff.

The college concluded that 'the notion that Ruskin, the home of trade union education for more than 100 years... would discipline staff as a result of union activity... was absolutely inconceivable'.