The UCU¡¯s five representatives on the Universities Superannuation Scheme¡¯s decision-making committee have repeatedly refused to attend meetings on its future in a bid to block employer-proposed changes that are fiercely opposed by the union.

Without them, the committee cannot be quorate nor rubber-stamp the plans, which include raising member contributions and phasing out final-salary pensions.

The UCU is planning further strike action against the changes in May, following two days of strikes in March.

The changes were originally scheduled to be introduced on 1 April.

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Now the USS has threatened legal action against the UCU representatives, four of whom are retired or serving academics (the other is a union officer).

In an email to UCU members, Sally Hunt, the union¡¯s general secretary, calls the legal letters ¡°a serious attempt to bully and intimidate the five UCU members who represent us on the USS joint negotiating committee¡± [JNC].

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She adds: ¡°Lawyers acting on behalf of the [USS] board have written to your representatives, UCU members like yourself, threatening them with High Court action.

¡°Worse still, USS is now threatening to make your representatives, five individuals, personally liable for costs.¡±

Ms Hunt urges members to write to their vice-chancellors in protest.

The USS has about 130,000 active members, mainly academics and senior administrators in older universities.

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The UCU representatives believe that if they attend the JNC, its independent chair, Sir Andrew Cubie, will use his casting vote to back the employers ¨C as he did last year when two years of talks on reform ended in stalemate.

Ms Hunt calls the no-show policy ¡°an emergency and short-term measure¡±, saying that the union would return to the JNC ¡°if the independent chair undertakes not to use his casting vote again¡±.

She adds: ¡°By refusing to make the JNC quorate, your representatives have played a critical role in defending your pensions. It is for this role that they are being targeted for intimidation.¡±

A USS spokeswoman said: ¡°In light of the UCU¡¯s non-attendance at recent JNC meetings, USS has sought legal advice on how best to resolve this issue. The nature of that advice is confidential.¡±

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john.morgan@tsleducation.com