Scottish Opera under fire over cuts

Proposals for 88 redundancies at Scottish Opera have been attacked by one of the nation's most famous artistic figures.

Composer Peter Maxwell Davies condemned the package of job cuts just days after the Opera's Chair, Duncan McGhie, announced his intention to stand down next March.

McGhie had been criticised by unions for leading Scottish Opera into a financial crisis that might have closed the Edinburgh-based company down if the devolved Scottish Executive had not stepped in with a £7m restructuring bid.

According to the Opera's management however, a key part of the Executive's rescue package is a cut in jobs among backstage staff and the chorus. Maxwell Davies described this solution as "a jackboot in the face of Scottish culture", condemning the plan, which also includes a nine-month moratorium on mainstream opera production.

The out-going Chair denied that his departure was connected with the controversial job cuts, despite calls for his departure when the redundancy programme was first announced last month.

BECTU and Equity are continuing their campaign against the restructuring with plans for a free gala concert on August 26, during the Edinburgh Festival. Equity has also warned that it could instruct all its members not to accept engagements with Scottish Opera, in support of the union's 34 chorus members.

A mass meeting for the Opera's 200-plus staff passed a vote of no confidence in the company's management, and questioned the wisdom of the Scottish Executive's handout being used to fund severance cheques.

Unions have called for the 60-day consultation period on redundancies - due to expire on August 31 - to be extended, to take account of the difficulties in running negotiations, and consulting with members, during the holiday period.

So far, the only clearly-identified job threats have been among the chorus, however BECTU is braced to be told within the next week where the jobs axe will fall among staff in administration and other support areas.

Officials of both unions are working to identify opportunities to raise the profile of their campaign against the cuts throughout next month's internationally-famous Festival.