Royal Opera House: statement by BECTU General Secretary Roger Bolton

BECTU welcomes the statement issued by the board of directors of the Royal Opera House following their meeting on 28 October.

Intensive negotiations had taken place between the representatives of the Royal Opera House and the unions since the board issued the ultimatum on 9 September in which they threatened to make redundant all of the staff of the ROH. BECTU agrees that significant progress has been made in those negotiations, although BECTU has not yet reached final agreement in respect of its members employed there.

The issues outstanding from BECTU's point of view concern the treatment of its members during the closure period between January and September 1999; some technical matters regarding the interpretation of the Working Time regulations; and the grading of its members in the amalgamated wigs and wardrobe department.

The next key meeting between BECTU and the Royal Opera House is to take place on Monday 2 November and I am hopeful that we will be able to resolve the outstanding differences and agree a package of proposals that we can recommend to our members following that meeting.

We remain critical of the board of the Royal Opera House for the unnecessary anxiety and distress they have caused to the staff by issuing the ultimatum on 9 September, which could have resulted in a position where the Royal Opera House was unable to reopen when the refurbishment is complete. It is the staff of the Royal Opera House who through their work have achieved the reputation of excellence associated with the Royal Opera House and it is shameful that they should have been treated in this manner.

News release

Issued by BECTU Press Office, tel: 0171 437 8506.