Staff and students protest over contracts

The demonstration, which has been organised by members of the University and College Union (UCU), Unison, Unite and the National of Union of Students is due to begin at 12.30pm outside the students' union.

Unions have accused the university of trying to create a "two-tier workforce" after 850 hourly-paid staff were told they will not be given full employee status, and will therefore not be entitled to a notice period or to join the university's pension scheme.

Officials said they were astonished at the move after the university was nominated for a HR excellence award after claiming they had taken the issue of integrating hourly-paid staff into faculties seriously.

The union said the new contracts made a mockery of such claims and were a cynical attempt by management to try and deliver "education on the cheap". UCU, Unison and Unite have been backed in their fight by the students' union, because many post-graduate students who carry out teaching and research duties are likely to be affected by the contracts.

Student union president Paul Tobin said: "We are deeply concerned about the levels of support received by postgraduate students who teach. It is vital that students who teach are given the recognition they deserve."

UCU branch president Mick Ashman added: "I find it laughable that the university is being nominated for a prestigious award for its treatment of hourly-paid staff at the same time as it is looking to leave hundreds of them out in the cold.

"This group of workers stands to lose the most by the introduction of these contracts which will pave the way for a two-tier workforce. Hourly-paid staff deserve the same working conditions as everybody else and shouldn't be treated like second class citizens."

Nobody from Sheffield University management was available for comment.