Bradford Council bosses plan to hold talks with careers-advice staff and union bosses involved in a pensions row.

The move follows complaints from Aspire-i workers, who are concerned they could lose their existing pension rights as another private company is due to take over the service from next month.

More than a decade ago the careers service was run by Bradford Council.

It was subsequently transferred out of the authority’s control, although an agreement was reached which allowed staff to continue with their local government final-salary pensions.

Even staff who joined what became known as Aspire-i after it left the Council were eligible to join the West Yorkshire Pension Fund. Now to be called Prospects from next month, its bosses are telling those who were never local authority employees that they must transfer to the Prospects company pension scheme.

Staff are worried that this will create a two-tier system, and trade union Unison is taking legal advice on the changes which it has described as “grossly unfair”.

Workers are due to stage protests tomorrow and Wednesday in Bradford and Keighley, but the Council is hoping to resolve any problems that have arisen with talks.

Cindy Peek, the Council’s deputy director of children’s services, said: “Careers Bradford left direct Council control about 14 years ago.

“They changed their name to Aspire-i last year, but it has never been part-owned by Bradford Council.

“It is an independent private company limited by guarantee but it was allowed, for its former Council staff, to continue in the West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

“Staff who joined Aspire-i after it left Council control were also able to join the West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

“Prospects Services Ltd has now been selected to provide the Connexions Service, following a competitive tendering process.

“The Council will fulfil its legal requirements regarding those former Council employees, but it is for Prospects to offer a broadly comparable pension for the other Aspire-i staff. We understand those other staff will transfer to a Prospects pension which has a good-quality pension scheme.

“We intend to hold talks with staff and union representatives in the hope of resolving any difficulties which have arisen over the issue.”

A spokesman for Prospects, which was awarded the contract in December, said: “We are complying with all our legal and contractual pension obligations.”