LECTURERS at 60 UK universities launched a work-to-rule today after eight days of strike action ended – and a fighting fund for strikers topped £100,000.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) also warned that renewed strikes could take place in the new year, with even more universities joining in.

The lecturers are in dispute with university authorities over an attack on their pension scheme, along with casualisation of jobs, low pay and inequality.

Higher education is Britain’s worst sector for the use of exploitative zero-hours contracts and insecure employment, with lecturers not knowing if they will have a job to go to after each term ends.

The eight-day strike action immediately gave way to a campaign of “action short of a strike,” including a refusal to stand in for absent colleges.

UCU said that a fighting fund has seen donations flooding in from students, sister unions and the general public since it was launched in September to ease financial hardship among strikers.

General secretary Jo Grady said: “The incredible strength of the strikes over the last eight days has shown vice-chancellors that we will not stand by and let them dismiss our concerns.

“The employers have shown nothing but complacency and intransigence during these disputes, but they can no longer be in any doubt about the strength of feeling on these issues.”

Ms Grady said the donations were “greatly appreciated,” adding that “more strikes involving even more staff could be on the cards.”