Theatres face Millennium shutdown

Commercial theatres across the UK could go dark on New Year's Eve unless a row over payments is resolved.

BECTU is threatening to run ballots for industrial action among theatre members after their employers turned down talks on payments to staff who are required to work on 31 December or 1 January.

The union originally lodged a claim for staff in London and regional theatres to be given similar payments over the Millennium period to those on offer to other workers in the entertainment sector.

For staff whose employers belong to the Theatre Managers Association (TMA), or the Society of London Theatres (SOLT), this would have meant a lump sum of UKP200 per day for working on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. The union claim also called for staff working at any time between 2100 on the 31 December and 0900 on 1 January to receive a single £500 payment for the period, instead of the separate daily bonuses.

Following a breakdown in negotiations over the claim, theatre companies belonging to TMA and SOLT are to be asked whether or not they will pay for Millennium working in line with the union tariff.

Any companies which refuse to pay adequate bonuses face the prospect of legal industrial action ballots which would allow union members to refuse to work over the Millennium period.

BECTU has invited the employers' representatives to re-open talks before the end of October, in an effort to reach a peaceful agreement before the strike ballots begin.