ROH Orchestra takes ‘action short of a strike’ as part of pay campaign

The Royal Opera House (ROH) Orchestra has taken what the Musicians’ Union (MU) is describing as ‘action short of strike’ as part of a campaign to have their pay restored following a pay cut during the pandemic. Members of the orchestra wore yellow ‘#FairPay’ t-shirts instead of their usual concert dress for a broadcast performance of Das Rheingold at the Covent Garden venue last week.

Last week’s action is part of an ongoing campaign, with further action planned for later this week (29 September).  During the pandemic, ROH Orchestra musicians took a 10% pay cut to help the company through lockdown closures, but they are now calling for their pay to be restored to pre-pandemic levels. This latest action follows the Orchestra's vote earlier this year in favour of potential industrial action.

Jamie Pullman, the MU’s regional organiser for London, said: ‘We have been in negotiations for many months… It has got to the point at which our members felt they had to make a public demonstration of their frustration. They all love the Royal Opera House and want it to flourish, but they are also having to work double the number of weekends that they used to, and – in cash terms – they are now earning less than they did in 2015. This situation cannot continue, and this action was a demonstration of the determination of our members to ensure changes happen.’

When the current cost of living crisis and inflation is taken into account, orchestra members are in real terms 23% worse off than they were before the pandemic and are struggling to maintain a work-life balance with increasingly intense rehearsal and performance scheduling.

Orchestra members distributed leaflets to audience members arriving for the performance on 20 September and the Orchestra’s MU steward Nigel Charman reported that ‘the response was overwhelmingly positive.’ Extras and deputies for the ROH, who also took a pay cut during the pandemic, wore yellow ribbons to show their support. The MU is now calling on members of the classical music industry and its audience to express their support for the Orchestra on social media.

MU general secretary Naomi Pohl said: ‘The Union is 100% behind the Royal Opera House musicians in their action and if they move to a full strike… Our members are doing more for less. All they want is a plan to restore their pay. We hope the management will make an improved offer before strike action is necessary.’