Theatre disputes settled

Peace deals have been agreed in English National Opera and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

RSC management have agreed that 11 job cuts will be achieved by voluntary means, as far as possible, in response to a union demand for no compulsory redundancies.

At ENO, technical managers and supervisors have won a new scheduling formula after a dispute over the European Working Time Directive led to many of them making claims to industrial tribunals.

Since the directive became law, many ENO staff have worked more than the legal 48 hour maximum working week, and have not always been given an 11 hour break between duties.

The new formula gives paid time off work for hours over 48, and allows 25 infringements a year of the 11 hour break in return for five full days of compensatory rest.

A related pay deal gives the staff a 5.8% increase this year, and RPI plus 2% in 2001. Extra payments for televised performances have been bought out.