Striking UNISON members employed by exam board AQA brought their fight to central London today, when a group of them visited the company’s headquarters in Tavistock Square.
They were joined by general secretary Christina McAnea, as they handed out leaflets to passers by and explained why they were on strike.
“Our AQA members do really important, demanding jobs and deserve decent pay,” said Ms McAnea. “It’s time AQA treated their staff fairly instead of undermining their own workforce”.
Earlier, the group, which had travelled down from Manchester, visited another AQA site in Milton Keynes, taking the message of their action – and biscuits – to staff working there, before being told to leave by a manager.
The strikers are currently in their fourth period of industrial action in a dispute over pay and threats of fire and rehire.
Management has imposed a new pay framework, without consultation, which leaves many of the lowest-paid staff at AQA worse off – even without the current cost of living crisis. On top of that, an offer of a 3% pay deal for this year would mean a real-terms pay cut for all staff.
This comes as the company is set to spend an estimated £8 million on largely cosmetic work at its Manchester office. AQA is currently refusing to return to meaningful negotiations.
