LECTURERS have threatened to target Scottish university graduations as part of an ongoing campaign of strike action.

UCU Scotland said it would be picketing universities on the same day as graduation ceremonies to allow lecturers to raise concerns with visiting families, although staff will not attempt to disrupt the events.

The union will also be encouraging members who are external examiners to resign to disrupt the summer re-marking of assessments which have been challenged.

Fresh protests have been planned at Stirling University, Queen Margaret University, Glasgow Caledonian University, Heriot-Watt University and Glasgow School of Art. Picketing has already taken place at Edinburgh, Glasgow and West of Scotland universities.

The move follows a row over pay with unions describing an offer of 1.1 per cent from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) as "insulting".

UCU officials said said universities could afford to pay more and that the latest offer did little to address a real terms pay cut of 14.5 per cent suffered by higher education staff since 2009.

The squeeze on staff salaries comes at a time when pay and benefits for university leaders has increased on average by three per cent with the average pay and pensions package for vice-chancellors standing at over £270,000. However, UCEA argues the offer is at the limit of affordability.

Mary Senior, UCU Scotland official, said: “With over a quarter of Scottish universities being hit by strike action this week and more planned for the weeks and months to come this dispute is becoming deeper and increasingly bitter.

"The absolute last thing lecturers and university staff want to do is go on strike. Staff have been forced into taking action and the breadth of what it taking place shows that our members are resolute.

"The only people who can resolve this dispute now are the employers. They need to come back with a fair and reasonable offer.”

However, a spokesman for UCEA said it was "disappointing" that UCU had chosen to target open days such as graduations arguing that few academic staff actually voted to support industrial action.

He said: "Higher education institutions tell us the majority of staff understand the financial realities for their institutions and the need to showcase their courses and campuses effectively.

"Rather than ask their members to inflict damage on themselves, their colleagues, their students and potential students, as well as their institutions as a whole, we would like to see UCU conduct a consultation that enables their members to consider all the elements of the full, fair and final offer that is on the table."

As well as taking strike action union members are working to contract, meaning that they will only work their contracted hours, and refuse set any additional work or take on any voluntary activities.