ROH revolt over victimised union rep

A strike could follow the suspension of BECTU's branch secretary at the Royal Opera House.

Union members at the ROH voted today, February 13, to run an industrial action ballot after hearing that a leading shop steward had been suspended from duty in connection with his trade union activities.

The management had presented him with an 80-page dossier which documented his efforts to represent union members working at the publicly-funded Opera House. After the encounter he was sent home.

Officials at BECTU head office argued that agreed procedures had not been observed, and urged ROH managers to allow ACAS, the government conciliation service, to intervene in the growing furore over the suspension.

However the peace proposal was initially rejected by management, who now have the choice of agreeing to call in ACAS by Friday February 16, or face a vote for strike action by other BECTU members.

The Royal Opera House, which laid off hundreds of staff while it was refurbished more than three years ago, has been dogged by a reputation for poor industrial relations. Management came under fire from BECTU because of health and safety fears soon after it re-opened in 1999.