Swimming teachers have accused a council of “fire and rehire” tactics after advertising self-employed roles just days before issuing redundancy notices.

Four swim teachers and two aerobics instructors say they were formally told in writing on Monday (March 17) by Medway Council they would be made redundant at the end of the month after what they claim has been a long and ”shambolic” process.

Workers say they were offered replacement roles as sports officers, which combines swimming teaching with other responsibilities including life-guarding, fitness and aerobics, and cleaning and management of facilities.

In total five swimming instructors, two casual instructors and four fitness instructors were affected by the changes.

But if they wanted to stay in their roles as swimming teachers — fulfilling their old responsibilities — they were told by the local authority they could do so on a self-employed basis, at £20 an hour.

However, if they took up the positions and returned to teach swimming they would no longer have sick pay, maternity/paternity pay and the other benefits legally required for employees.

They also would no longer be eligible for benefits offered to Medway Council staff, such as discounts at leisure centres.

The teachers, who each have at least a decade of experience — and some with more than 30 years working for the authority — say the process has been “much more painful than it needed to be” and the council has “shot itself in the foot”.

One teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said the authority had decided on redundancies as far back as April last year, but claimed the process had been bungled.

A consultation on redundancies began in December, a week before Christmas, but was put on hold a month later and the teachers heard nothing until they were told verbally at the start of this month they were being made redundant.

This was later confirmed in writing on Monday and in lieu of notice, the teachers were given 12 weeks of pay.

However, the Medway Sport Facebook page, which is run by the council, posted an advert about becoming a swimming teacher under self-employment terms at £20 an hour two days before on Saturday (March 15).

And the teachers say after they were told of their redundancies they were offered the self-employed roles advertised - although Medway Council says it only made them aware of the positions.

The teacher said: “The way this has been done is absolutely devastating and shambolic - at every single step they have failed to think it through and so there’s been a lack of communication and consideration.

“It’s a dreadful way to treat people who have worked so hard for years and years. This is effectively fire and rehire, or at least forced self-employment.

“In the end this has all been much more painful than it needed to be and it’s the children who will be collateral damage in all this.”

The teacher said they believed the authority was now having to advertise for new instructors because the existing ones had not yet told the council whether they would be taking up the self-employed roles.

They also claim there are no staff to lead lessons in the new term, adding: “We’ve been hung out to dry really and now they’re starting to realise they’ve shot themselves in the foot because they haven’t got any teachers.

“The teachers have been extremely professional throughout this, just getting on with their jobs and not telling all the parents about the uncertainty behind closed doors.

“We’ve had no word of thanks, no pat on the back for the years we’ve given. No recognition of how parents trust us with their children for years and years.”

It’s a dreadful way to treat people who have worked so hard for years and years

They added the teachers being made redundant had specialist qualifications for helping infants and SEND children swim which were not standard.

Medway Council said it had not asked the staff to return on a self-employed basis, but had made them aware of the roles.

A spokesperson said: “The council’s MedPay programme, currently underway for all council staff, aims to provide greater opportunities for career progression and pay consistency to attract and retain a skilled and talented workforce.

“As part of this, the former term-time swimming instructor and part-time and casual aerobics instructor roles no longer exist as the work is included within the pre-existing sports officer or senior sports officer roles.

“All affected staff were offered the opportunity to amend their contract to continue working for us in the role of a sports officer or senior sports officer through the consultation process.”

The advert posted to the Medway Sport page attracted strong criticism from leisure centre users.

One commented: “Is this a joke?! We’ve just been told that the swimming teachers are being made redundant and our son may not have a class to attend next term (after having lessons since he was four months old with the same instructor and thriving in his classes!)

“Yet you are advertising for their replacements, I’m guessing with less pay and benefits, not to mention experience?

“Disgraceful show from Medway Sport and not at all in line with Child-Friendly Medway.”

Another added: “In what world is it acceptable to be advertising for roles you’ve just made redundant.

“They haven’t even left yet and your trying to replace them. Which BTW is impossible as your current swim instructors are irreplaceable to your current clients.

“I imagine people will look for other providers knowing that they’re now losing instructors their children trust and adore.

“I myself will be researching other facilities or hoping the current instructors find employment elsewhere where we may be able to follow them.”