Forensic tools down

More than 1,000 scientists working in the Government's Forensic Science Service went on strike over pay as The Times Higher went to press. Prospect, the union representing the scientists, said that FSS management had refused to improve on last year's below-inflation pay offer of 1.125 per cent - one of the lowest public-sector pay awards of 2003. The strike will be followed by an overtime ban and work-to-rule.