AQA staff on strike as GCSE results come in

Staff at exam board AQA have began strike action timed to coincide with the days when schools and pupils receive GCSE grades. Customer services, re-marking enquiries and investigations into missing results will be affected by the strikes, according to UNISON.

It marks the fourth round of action in a dispute over pay and fire-and-rehire threats to staff. Around 180 workers will strike for five days up to and including Sunday (28 August). The latest dates follow last week’s strikes that included A-Level results day, and are likely to have a more extensive impact due to the higher volume of results being processed.

UNISON says ​staff have been left with no option after senior managers at the exam board refused to improve a pay offer of three per cent and threatened them with being fired and re-hired on different contracts.

UNISON ​North West regional organiser Lizanne Devonport said:

“​With inflation at more than 10 per cent, a miserly pay rise of three per cent just doesn’t add up. Staff can’t afford to accept when bills are rising so steeply.

“But they’re also facing threats of dismissal and re-engagement on new contracts. It’s no way to treat employees. AQA managers must come back and discuss a fair solution.”