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Your articles about the treatment of researchers were shocking but unsurprising ("Desperate contract staff work for no pay", February 4 and "Calls to change contract culture", January 28).

Two surveys we carried out at Leicester University show that 19 per cent of the 110 responders had worked beyond the end of their contract without pay and that 54 per cent of 37 responders had not been offered bridging contracts. The reports were presented to the university, which has been sympathetic, but aside from staff development, there has been limited progress. While the use of fixed-term contracts continues, these problems will not go away.

Paul Sinfield and Beth Shaw
Contract researchers
Leicester University