STUDENT staff who were refused access to the furlough scheme are demanding an apology from the University of the West of Scotland.

Catering workers on zero-hour contracts at the university, supporting themselves through their studies, can't access Universal Credit and were told by their bosses they wouldn't be put through the government's job retention scheme.

They are now being represented by Unite the union and have sent a letter to principal Craig Mahoney, which makes a number of demands.

But the university has said it is concerned about "serious inaccuracies" in the letter and is "surprised" at "misleading claims of financial disadvantage". It is understood the two parties met yesterday to discuss the situation.

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The letter from the student staff expresses "concerns over the way in which we have been treated by the university". "Without our efforts, your business would not run," it adds.

It asks for a "full, written and public apology" for the "emotional distress caused to us by your decision to announce via FAQs that we would receive no financial assistance from UWS".

They say the latest government guidance shows the university could furlough staff and accuse the university of a "lack of respect" towards employees, saying it only gave a reason for its position when contacted by MPs.

The students also claim only only around 20 per cent of those affected would be able to access the discretionary hardship fund offered by the university.

"Though we all have no set contracted hours, many staff members go above and beyond this to meet the needs of the business," the letter adds. "With this in mind, we ask that our wages are determined from an average of the last 12 weeks of working."

The letter also asks the university to clarify some of the details around an offer to match wages from money in the hardship fund.

READ MORE: Students working in campus cafe struggling to pay bills after uni rejects furlough bid

Bryan Simpson, from Unite, said:  "The refusal of UWS to furlough its catering staff has left workers (and students) destitute.

"Principal Mahoney's argument that they are not entitled to be furloughed holds no water, legally or morally.

"They have been offered access to a hardship fund which 75% aren't eligible for. The University should do the right thing and ensure these workers receive 100% wages backdated to the start of lockdown."

In a statement, the university said: "This group of students received payment for work carried out prior to lockdown as normal on Tuesday and, from May onwards, we are releasing generous student hardship funding to them for the remainder of the academic year.

"The level of UWS hardship funding we are providing to this group is representative of 100 per cent of average net earnings. This support was communicated directly to the students concerned last week."

It added: "These swift additional measures we have put in place to provide specific UWS hardship funding to this group of UWS students will ensure that there continues to be no financial disadvantage to them as a result of the university’s campuses closing."