5% West End pay increase

BECTU West End Theatre members have voted by three to one to accept a 5% increase on all minimum rates of pay.

The increase covers the rates of pay in the BECTU/SOLT Agreement, and includes a further 1% increase in the employers' minimum pension contribution, backdated to 1 October 2007.

The consultative ballot on the pay offer was extended until today to allow for late returns caused by the postal strike.

BECTU Supervisory Official Willy Donaghy commented "I am pleased that the offer has been accepted and that now both SOLT and BECTU can concentrate on modernising the collective agreement and in so doing work towards bringing significant benefits to our respective memberships."

Asked why 25% of members had voted against what seems a relatively good offer he further commented: "Members were dissatisfied about the manner in which last year's "interim award" from SOLT had turned out to be their final offer, and were angry at the lobbying tactics adopted by the employers.

"However, it is now time to move forward."