Exam writers bring claim against university press

Exam writers are in a legal battle with Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Lawyers are set to bring a claim against a world-leading academic publishing house on behalf of exam writers who say unfair changes were made to their status.

The 12 writers work for Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CUP&A), which describes itself as a "world-leader in assessment, education, research and academic publishing".

The Society of Authors (SoA), a trade union for professional writers, has claimed there was "mis-categorisation" in contracts issued to people earlier this year and that people were denied a number of workplace rights, including fair holiday pay.

A spokesperson from CUP&A said: "Our assessors received improved terms under new contracts earlier this year, which the claimants agreed to."

The union claims the issues stretch back three decades in some cases.

It said exam writers were sent a new contract, in or around April this year, with an indication that CUP&A would begin formally treating them as workers.

The writers were told they would receive no further commissions from the company unless they agreed to the new terms, the union said.

At or around this time, their entitlement to holiday pay was set at 12.07% to reflect the minimum legal entitlement, while the hourly rate in respect of at least some of their work was reduced, resulting in an overall loss for some workers, according to the SoA.

Lawyers have argued the changes made by CUP&A were unfair because the writers had always been entitled to holiday pay and therefore had simply received a pay cut.

They said this was one of a number of contract changes putting the workers in a less favourable position than they had been previously.

All 12 claimants signed the new contract in May 2024.

It is argued the terms of the previous agreement never matched the true nature of the relationship between the writers and their employer, and that their legal rights have been breached.

'Fair treatment and compensation'

Human rights solicitor Ryan Bradshaw, of law firm Leigh Day, said: "These exam writers have been denied fundamental rights that should have been afforded to them all along.

"Our claim seeks to rectify the situation by ensuring that their employment status is properly recognised and that they receive the fair treatment and compensation they deserve.

"The adjustments made by CUP&A under the guise of belatedly complying with their legal obligations were, in reality, a thinly veiled pay cut.

"It is regrettable that our clients felt forced to sign these contracts under pressure of losing work which they had diligently and professionally carried out over many years."

Sarah Burton, deputy chief executive of the SoA, said: "We are disappointed that Cambridge University Press & Assessment has chosen not to resolve this matter directly with our members and the SoA, and that it has been necessary to proceed with a legal claim."