Students at the University of Dundee have pleaded with universities and the academics’ union to resolve their long-running pay dispute and avert a threatened marking boycott.

There is just over a month to go until the University and College Union boycotts marking exams or essays in response to a fifth successive below inflation pay rise this year.

Student representatives of the University of Dundee and Dundee University Students’ Association have written an open letter that says the impact on students could be “catastrophic”.

“Relationships between students and both their universities and staff will be dealt a terrible blow should this marking boycott go ahead,” the letter says.

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“Should the UCU implement the proposed marking boycott of students’ work the effect this will have on all students will be entirely negative. For those students who are graduating this year it may have all manner of ill effects on their future education prospects and careers,” it continues.

The letter calls on the Universities and Colleges Employers Association and the UCU to “return to the negotiating table as soon as possible”.

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The UCU has organised a series of strikes this year after being offered a 1 per cent pay increase for 2013-14.

The union says that staff have been left with a 13 per cent real terms pay cut since 2009 due to a series of below inflation offers. However, Ucea claims many staff have continued to see an uplift in wages overall because of incremental pay rises.

david.matthews@tsleducation.com