Lecturers' unions have pledged to continue industrial action despite managers' threats to withhold pay from staff who do not hand over exam results.

Natfhe and AUT union members met at Oxford Brookes University yesterday to discuss the university's promise to suspend the pay of anyone who does not submit marks by Thursday.

Some lecturers have refused to set, mark, and invigilate exams or coursework since March after their unions' demands for a 23 per cent pay rise over three years were rejected.

At yesterday's meeting, union officials made it clear that the industrial action would continue.

They warned Brookes that it would face a national academic boycott if any "lock-out" of staff went ahead. The university said it would implement its 12.6 per cent pay offer, spread over three years, from August. It said the rise was all it could afford.

Deputy vice-chancellor Rex Knight said lecturers had a contractural obligation to mark exams.

He added: "There is absolutely no foundation in the unions' assertion that this institution would 'lock out' any of its staff."