Careers advice staff in Bradford are to protest next week about the takeover of the service by another private company which could see half of the employees lose their existing pension rights.

The Aspire-i workers, who provide guidance for young people on their future careers, have been told that Prospects Ltd, the new private owner of the former Bradford Council-run service, will prevent more than 40 employees from continuing with their local government final salary pension.

An official of the local government branch of the public section union Unison says members feel they are being treated unfairly.

The service used to be run by the Council, but staff were transferred to the private company Aspire-i and all workers were allowed to stay in the West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

Now Prospects are telling staff who joined after the service left the Council that they must transfer to a Prospects pension which is not a final-salary scheme.

Staff are worried that this could create a two-tier system, with people sitting on opposite sides of the same desk facing substantially different pension funds upon retirement.

Now the union which represents them, Unison, is taking legal advice on challenging Prospects Ltd’s actions.

Linda Crowther, branch secretary of the Bradford local government branch of Unison, said members were angry about what they see as “grossly unfair” treatment.

“This new private company which has now got the contract thinks it can take the opportunity of depriving those staff who joined the company after the initial transfer of their membership of the local government pension scheme.

“They intend to force them to transfer to a Prospects pension scheme, which is not a final-salary scheme.

“It will create a two-tier workforce where half of the careers staff are on significantly worse pension schemes than the colleagues with whom they work side by side, year in, year out.

“It is divisive and it is immoral. We will do everything in our power to stop this happening.”

Prospects was unavailable to comment.

Members will be demonstrating next Tuesday outside City Hall, Bradford, and the Connexions Centre in Keighley; and on Wednesday outside City Training Services in Bradford.