UNIVERSITY bosses have made new offers to end long-running disputes over pay, working conditions and pensions, the University and College Union (UCU) has confirmed.

The proposals, secured on Wednesday as 70,000 UCU members launched another national three-day walkout, could see the universities superannuation pension scheme restored by April next year, according to the union.

The deal could also end the use of involuntary zero-hours contracts in higher education and agree new “standards, frameworks and principles” to tackle other forms of casualised contracts, reduce workloads and close equality pay gaps, it said.