ENO chorus votes to join orchestra and music staff in February strike

The Musicians’ Union (MU) and UK performing arts and entertainment industries trade union Equity have today announced that chorus members at the English National Opera (ENO) have voted 100% in favour of strike action in a ballot conducted by Equity. Members of the ENO are confirmed to launch a full strike on 1 February, marking the first time the orchestra has taken formal strike action in over 40 years.

ENO staff have voted to strike in response to proposals to make all members of the orchestra and music staff redundant and only reemploy them for 6 months per year. ENO chorus members now join MU members in the ENO’s orchestra and music staff, who voted overwhelmingly in favour of potential strike action in a ballot that closed on 21 December 2023.

MU general secretary Naomi Pohl said: ‘This is a historic moment for the Musicians’ Union and the UK’s orchestra sector – the first time we’ve been on strike since 1980. This is a sign of extremely difficult times for the orchestral sector and opera and ballet in particular. 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.’

In a joint statement released by the MU and Equity today, the two organisations confirmed negotiations will continue and expressed hope that industrial action can be averted through talks with ENO management and a ‘dignified agreement’. If talks are unsuccessful, the strike will start on 1 February, coinciding with the opening night of the ENO’s production of The Handmaid’s Tale which will not go ahead if the strikes take place (although tickets are still currently available on the ENO website).

MU members in the ENO’s orchestra and music staff will be taking ‘action short of a strike’ from 30 January, leafleting the dress rehearsal of The Handmaid’s Tale and calling on audience members to show solidarity. Further information is yet to be announced regarding pickets and activity around the full strike action next month.

In December’s MU vote, 92% of MU members at ENO responded to the ballot, of which 93% voted yes to full strike action and 98% for ‘action short of a strike’. Turnout among ENO chorus members for Equity’s ballot which closed yesterday (16 January) was 94.11% (32 out of 34 chorus members), of which 100% voted ‘yes’ to full strike action and 100% voted to take action short of a strike.

ENO chorus member Ronald Nairne, who is also an Equity deputy (workplace representative), said: ‘It gives me no pleasure to vote for strike action – I joined the ENO chorus to sing, and to share opera with as many people as possible. Management’s proposals to fire and rehire me and my colleagues with a 40% salary cut and worsened working conditions will make remaining in the chorus unsustainable for many. I voted yes to taking strike action to force our management to reconsider their plans and come up with a different, more creative model that protects the workforce.’