Oxford Brookes University has backed down on its threat to dock the pay of lecturers taking part in national strike action.

Tensions at the institution have escalated during the dispute by members of the newly-formed University and College Union (UCU).

Staff were warned last month that a 12.6 per cent offer would be implemented and employees who continued to withhold students' coursework and exam marks would have their pay suspended.

But unions, which are continuing to fight for a 23 per cent pay rise by 2009, branded Brookes belligerent over its stance and threatened all-out strike action. The stand-off ended yesterday during a meeting between union representatives and senior managers.

Brookes spokesman David Penney said: "We can confirm that following discussions yesterday morning with local representatives, we have no immediate plans to implement pay deductions for any of the academic staff. We also want to reassure students that the majority of lecturers have submitted examination grades on time and we hope to have more information after the national JNCHES meeting."

A national meeting of the Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education (JNCHES) was due to take place today in London.