Lecturers claim they are being victimised by Oxford University while holding a ballot on strike action.

Members of the AUT union, including 659 Oxford academics, are voting on whether to strike over the pay package offered to them by universities.

Oxford University has responded by banning AUT members from using university facilities to help recruit members.

Until the dispute has been resolved, AUT members will not be allowed to set up recruitment stands in university premises or on university-owned land and roads.

The university said it was only withdrawing privileges to which the union had no legal right.

A spokesman said: "The university respects the right of individuals to be part of a recognised trade union, and is not impinging on their right to engage in lawful trade union activities.

"However, while the AUT is in dispute with the university, the university is not actively assisting the AUT in its work to recruit members."

But a spokesman for the AUT said: "We're stunned that Oxford would try to intimidate AUT members who are absolutely furious about the current pay and modernisation package.

"The proposals would, among other things, lead to some lecturers losing £18,000 over the next 13 years, and introduce under-regulated localised pay bargaining, where academic staff would be paid according to where they work, not what they do."

The ballot will close on Wednesday, February 11. A national strike could follow.