‘It would be a betrayal to back down now’: university pay row reaches new level of acrimony

As the stalemate continues, union infighting has added a new dimension while universities are threatening to dock pay

When Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), stood at the podium of its annual congress yesterday, she said she had “never been so proud to be part of this union as I have in recent weeks, watching you all stand firm in the face of vindictive, bullying behaviour from employers.

“Our wins this year have been achieved through unity,” she told the assembled lecturers. “Facing the fights ahead, let’s focus our energy on the real enemy: the employers.”