ACADEMIC staff at the universities of Newcastle , Durham and York have voted for industrial action in a row over changes to pensions.

In the ballot of members of the University and College Union (UCU) in 69 UK universities – including Newcastle, Durham and York - 78 per cent of those who voted, voted for strike action and 87 per cent voted for action short of a strike, which could include a marking boycott.

The turnout of 45 per cent was the highest in a national higher education ballot since UCU was formed in 2006.

Talks are scheduled on Wednesday between the union and the employers’ representatives.

Members were told that a vote for action would likely lead to a marking boycott and a refusal to set exams. The action would stop students being set coursework or receiving formal marks and halt exams.

The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is the pension scheme for staff at the UK’s ‘old’ universities and covers the most selective institutions including the Russell Group of universities. The changes have been prompted by an expected deficit in USS.

However, UCU says the methodology used to determine the deficit is too simplistic and doesn’t take account of the scheme’s underlying strengths.

Since 2011, when the last set of detrimental changes to members’ pensions were made, the fund’s investments have grown by £8bn, the number of members has grown by 18 per cent and returns on investment have outperformed both average earnings and inflation.

However, Universities UK want to reduce the coverage of the defined benefit element of the scheme and introduce a riskier defined contribution pension scheme.