THE prospect of strike action over university pay has moved closer after Scotland's biggest teaching union joined others in balloting members on industrial action.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) is consulting members who work in higher education.

Last week, The Herald revealed that thousands of lecturers and support staff were to be balloted on strike action in the dispute.

The move by unions, which also includes UCU Scotland, which represents 6000 academics, and the GMB, threatens significant disruption to universities.

In 2006, the last time Scottish lecturers took action over pay, they refused to mark exam scripts, threatening the graduations of thousands of students.

The latest ballot follows the offer of a 1% pay rise for 2012/13 from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA). The offer is in response to a 7% claim by unions comprising an increase of 3.7% to keep salaries in line with inflation and a further rise of 3.3% to catch up with pay cuts in the past three years.

UCEA, which negotiates on behalf of UK universities, believes the pay offer is the best available at a time of tight funding.

However, unions believe universities have increased spending power due to the introduction of tuition fees of up to £9000 a year.

In Scotland, where fees are not charged to Scottish students, the unions argue the last public funding settlement from the Scottish Government was large enough to allow for an improved pay offer.

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS, said: "Lecturers in Scottish higher education institutions have endured pay awards less than the rate of inflation for the past three years and are not prepared to accept a fourth."