The Labour Party has been accused of treating staff based in Newcastle unfairly by telling them in the run-up to Christmas that they were losing their jobs - and then advertising similar roles.
Some of the staff had been in the process of launching a collective grievance against the party over their working conditions.
A branch of trade union the GMB has passed a motion condemning the party's behaviour. And three Labour leadership candidates, Jess Phillips, Keir Starmer, and Emily Thornberry have expressed support for the staff affected.
Labour's actions appear particularly inconsistent because the party repeatedly condemned what it claimed were bad employment practices during December's general election campaign. Leader Jeremy Corbyn delivered speeches attacking Mike Ashley and his retail chain, Sports Direct.
The staff affected worked at a call centre in Labour's headquarters at Manors Business Park, Newcastle. The party moved many of its operations to the city around 2005, including conference services and its finance team.
Call centre staff typically deal with party members. They might help with queries about membership fee payments, for example.
Staff on fixed-term contracts, due to expire on December 31 last year, were told on November 29 that the contracts would not be renewed.
It is understood 19 contracts were not renewed.
While some had been employed specifically because of the General Election, and always expected to leave their positions afterwards, others had been in their roles for for two years or more.
The announcement is said to have been made in a "brutal" manner, with staff asked to "pass on the message" to colleagues who were not present.
But now, Labour is advertising for around 50 new staff to provide "administration and customer service support" while the party elects a new leader and deputy leader.
In its motion, the GMB branch representing Labour workers points out that the party already knew a deputy leadership election would be held when the announcement about contracts was made, because former Deputy Leader Tom Watson had stood down.
It also says that a "leadership contest would most likely be underway in the new year".
It is calling on the party to offer the new jobs to staff whose posts were axed, without requiring them to attend an interview.
One Labour employee in the North East said: "In most cases Labour is a good organisation to work for, but this is an example where things were not handled well.
"If we want to run the country and tell people we will make employment practices better then we have to be an exemplar ourselves."
Ms Phillips, Mr Starmer and Ms Thornberry have all expressed support for the workers, and it's possible other leadership contenders will follow suit.
Ms Phillips said on Twitter: "Standing up for workers' rights starts with our own staff in the Labour Party. This is no way to treat people."
A Labour spokesman said: "We don't comment on staffing matters."
