STAFF at North-East universities will have wildly different retirement packages if radical proposals for academic pensions are forced through, according to union officials.

Academics at Durham, Newcastle and York universities could have a pension up to 36 per cent worse than colleagues at Northumbria, Teesside and Sunderland universities.

An analysis by the University and College Union (UCU) shows how staff at so called “new” universities who are members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) would take home up to almost £20,000 more a year in retirement than their colleagues in the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) favoured by older universities.

UCU is balloting its members at Newcastle, Durham and York universities - along with 65 other UK universities for industrial action to oppose the changes. It opened on October 1 and closes on October 20.

The union said it will be asking members to back plans for a marking boycott and to refuse to set exams. The action would mean students would not be set coursework or receive formal marks and feedback, and exams would be halted.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “If these radical changes are forced through we will have lecturers with wildly different deals when they retire.

“Once prospective staff know that some universities offer pensions up to 36 per cent lower than others there will be real concerns about recruitment and retention of the brightest talent.”