Scottish Opera action halted
BECTU gives Carmen another chance to cheat on Don Jos� in Glasgow
BECTU has suspended a campaign of industrial action, which was due to start tonight at Scottish Opera.
Tonight's strike, on May 25, was halted after a leading Scots politician intervened in a row over the Opera's plan to derecognise BECTU as the union to represent some backstage grades.
Alex Neil, Convener of the Scottish Parliament's influential Enterprise and Culture Committee, today wrote to both BECTU and Scottish Opera in an effort to avert strike action by BECTU Members, which was set to disrupt performances by Scottish Opera over the coming weeks.
In his letter, Neil urged BECTU to suspend the strikes, and urged management to get round the negotiating table with BECTU, to find a constructive solution to the dispute.
In response, a mass meeting of BECTU members, at lunchtime today, May 25, was urged by BECTU officials not to dismiss the positive intervention of such a highly regarded politician, and to seriously consider his request.
BECTU's members at Scottish Opera decided, in turn, overwhelmingly to welcome this development, and have advised the Convener of the Culture Committee that they have suspended Industrial Action for two weeks, in a serious effort to kick-start discussions.
Paul McManus, Scottish Organiser for BECTU said: "Our members made it clear from day one that the last thing they wanted was to disrupt performances for the next month, particularly given the Opera's ongoing perilous financial position.
"We therefore welcome this move by such a respected politician, and I sincerely hope management will now respond in as constructive a way as BECTU's members have. I also look forward to providing a full briefing on the dispute to the Parliament's Culture Committee".
The dispute is over Scottish Opera's efforts to derecognise BECTU, and to force staff to accept individual contracts on worsened terms and conditions.