Angry response to ENO job cuts

BECTU has pledged to defend members at the English National Opera, after dozens of redundancies were announced.

Management at ENO warned today, February 23, that 45 staff could be made redundant on August 1, and said that large parts of the existing workforce would be casualised.

Union officials have condemned the cuts, which ENO management blame on poor finances thanks to low box office takings and reduced grants from government.

BECTU's newly-elected General Secretary Gerry Morrissey said: "We are meeting ENO management next week to hear the full details of their proposals. On the face of it, it looks as if management want to casualise the workforce.

"ENO's proposal to move out of repertoire for part of the season is clearly going to affect our members' jobs and future earnings potential," continued Morrissey. "We will of course be strongly opposing any job cuts."

ENO executives have also said they want to 'review' all the company's contracts, including agreements with BECTU, the Musicians' Union and Equity. Exact details have yet to be released, but BECTU is expecting ENO to announce significant changes in current working practices.

Commenting on the company's financial position, Gerry Morrissey said: "This announcement comes on the back of the government reducing grants to the arts over the last couple of years and most companies are at best expecting a standstill budget for the next financial year. We cannot help but believe part of this is down to expenditure on the Olympic Games by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport

"However, the DCMS has failed to take into account the significant impact organisations like the ENO have on the economy in general, and London in particular", Morrissey continued, "and it will be a retrograde step if we see arts organisations closing for long periods of the year or radically reducing the number of new works they put on."