WNO orchestra considering industrial action

The Musicians’ Union (MU) has announced that its members in the orchestra of Welsh National Opera (WNO) are being balloted for industrial action. The decision follows a dispute over the WNO’s proposal to make the orchestra part-time and cut musicians’ pay by 15 per cent.

The MU delivered the notification of intent to ballot to WNO management yesterday. The three-week ballot period will commence on Wednesday (26 June). Backed by members of the Senedd and Wales TUC, the orchestra has been campaigning ahead of recent WNO performances for the past few performances including Thursday’s performance of Puccini's Il trittico at the Wales Millennium Centre (20 June).

They were joined by MU general secretary Naomi Pohl who said: ‘This is a critical time for Welsh National Opera as it faces funding cuts from Arts Council England and the Arts Council of Wales. We are also deeply concerned about diminishing opera provision across the UK. This will hit hardest in areas that already have less arts and music provision, and hugely reduce opportunities for musicians to earn a living. We are determined to support our members in challenging plans for unsustainable pay cuts for our members and changes that could cause major damage to arts and music in Wales. Meanwhile we will be taking the issue up with the Government, supportive MPs and the Arts Councils. With a general election on the horizon, it is a pivotal moment in time to make our case for the cultural investment so desperately needed for our arts institutions.’

The WNO’s proposal comes as a result of Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England funding cuts. Alongside cuts to musicians’ pay and working hours, WNO will also have to cut down on touring, potentially leaving places like Llandudno and Bristol without opera provision.

The Union is therefore calling on WNO management, Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England to ‘keep WNO as a full-time company’, ‘stop the proposed 15 per cent pay cut’ and ‘agree a sustainable funding package to secure WNO's future, including touring’. Over 10,500 people have already signed WNO orchestra’s petition to protect their jobs.