English National Opera employees to strike over cuts

Underfunding of Manchester move blamed as Musicians’ Union announces first full strike in 44 years

Musicians and performers in the English National Opera have voted to strike in a dispute over planned cuts to the workforce.

ENO chorus members, orchestra and music staff will walk out on 1 February, on the opening night of the company’s production of The Handmaid’s Tale. If the strikes go ahead the show is not expected to take place.

The Musicians’ Union and Equity said plans to axe 19 orchestra posts and make other staff members work part-time would threaten musicians’ livelihoods.

It will mark the first time that Musicians’ Union members have taken full strike action in 44 years. The union’s general secretary, Naomi Pohl, said the vote was “a sign of extremely difficult times for the orchestral sector and opera and ballet in particular”.

She added: “This has been caused by underfunding of the proposed move to Manchester. The management have decided to cut our members down to six months of work per year and this risks a wonderful, talented and specialist orchestra dissipating. It is heartbreaking to see the impact on the individuals affected.”

The ballots were conducted after ENO management announced plans to make all of the chorus, orchestra and music staff redundant and re-employ them for six months of the year. It was proposed that some musicians in the orchestra would be offered ad hoc freelance work only.

Equity’s general secretary, Paul Fleming, said: “The heart of this dispute is about who opera in this country is for: should there be stable, accessible jobs for people from every background, or precarious jobs limited to the few. The ENO chorus and creative workforce believe opera is for everyone, that opera is nothing without a stable dignified workforce and jobs which are open to all.”

He said ENO management were “throwing the artists who audiences pay to see under the bus whilst protecting the pay of senior management. They are proposing fire and rehire, 40% cuts in wages, and no permanent jobs in a new Manchester base”.

The ENO said on Wednesday the dispute “could be best resolved around the negotiation table”. It said while it “respects trade union members’ right to industrial action as part of our ongoing negotiations”, it was “disappointed that it means audiences will miss out on an opportunity to experience the work and talent of the entire ENO company”.

The ENO’s music director, Martyn Brabbins, announced his resignation in October after the announcement of the cuts – which came after the ENO was removed from Arts Council England’s (ACE) national portfolio last year, losing its £12.8m annual grant, and told it must move outside London to qualify for future grants. ACE’s decision was condemned as “cultural vandalism”.

ACE later announced extra money and more time for the ENO to transition to a new home. It also said a new business model would allow the company to deliver a substantial opera season every year in London.

Last month, the ENO announced it had chosen Greater Manchester as its future home.