Nathfhe strikes

* Strikes are likely to shut London's universities one day every month for at least four months of next year after lecturers' union Natfhe, the Association of University Teachers, Unison and Amicus agreed to step up their campaign for a higher London living allowance.

After failing to bring employers back to the negotiating table to discuss their £4,000 London weighting demand, the four unions, which shut down capital campuses last month, have agreed to at least four further one-day strikes, starting on February 4. They are expecting to be joined by the T&G and the GMB unions and are promising greater disruption than before.

Andy Pike of Natfhe said: "The longer employers leave it, the more annoyed and frustrated our members are going to become."

Natfhe and the AUT are considering withholding exam marks to increase pressure on employers.