Lecturers could vote for industrial action over wages.

Ballot papers will today land on the doormats of lecturers in new universities, including the University of Brighton, and higher education colleges across Sussex.

About 19,000 lecturers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be urged to vote for industrial action.

The ballot, organised by lecturers' union NATFHE, supports a pay claim to reverse a 20-year decline in academic salaries.

NATFHE says universities can afford to increase lecturers' pay to catch up with other professionals because £2.3 billion of extra funding will enter universities this year from top-up fees and other funding.

University vice-chancellors had promised ministers that a third of top-up fees will be used to improve academic pay but NATFHE has accused them of breaking their promise.

All higher education unions have signed a joint statement stating that the equivalent of at least one third of the money from fees and other sources should fund a national pay increase for all university staff.

NATFHE general secretary Paul Mackney said: "We have made it clear that when a long overdue offer arrives, we will discuss it. But time is running out."

The ballot result is due on February 17.

Action could include strikes and an assessment boycott, which would delay exam results. This could begin as early as March 1.