Casts refuse SOLT’s new West End deal

Published Wednesday 19 March 2008 at 17:15 by Alistair Smith

West End cast members have rejected another improved pay offer from London theatre managements as negotiations for a new minimum wage for performers in the capital continue to struggle, The Stage has learnt.

Earlier this month, at an open meeting held by Equity for cast members in West End shows, actors voted “overwhelmingly” to turn down the latest, improved “best offer” from the Society of London Theatre, which still failed to meet the union’s demand for an immediate increase in the West End minimum from £381 to £550. Around 300 performers, including Ian McKellen, attended the meeting.

One cast member, who was present at the meeting held at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden and did not wish to be named, told The Stage: “We have rejected the latest offer. It was an improvement but it’s still not what we’re worth. We feel the £550 minimum is a fair price and West End producers can afford to pay it.”

Before the meeting and SOLT’s improved offer, The Stage revealed that Equity president Harry Landis had claimed that performers would be willing to take industrial action if that was what it took to get an improved deal. The cast member confirmed Landis’ claim, saying that “most people would consider it [industrial action],” adding: “A lot of people feel very strongly about this.”

It is understood that an earlier offer to West End casts, which was unanimously rejected, had also included a demand from producers that actors work up to 12 shows a week - an increase of four on the current deal - in return for an improvement in their minimum rate. This clause has now been dropped from negotiations.

Equity assistant general secretary Stephen Spence told The Stage: “Following the meeting at St Paul’s, Equity went back to SOLT to give them the outcome of the meeting. Talks are now continuing with SOLT and while talks are continuing, we can’t comment any further.”

Equity and SOLT are not currently in dispute over the union’s demands for a 44% minimum wage hike and are continuing to negotiate.

If they fail to reach an agreement and union members were to take industrial action, it would mark the first time since 2003 - when choristers refused to perform in English National Opera’s production of The Trojans - The Capture of Troy, in protest over planned redundancies. If a decision to ballot members for strike action were made, it would take up to a month before any action could take place, because of the complicated legal process which needs to be followed.

Last year, a 19-day strike by stagehands on Broadway, which saw 26 productions go dark, cost New York’s theatre scene an estimated $38 million.

A spokesperson for SOLT said that the association would not comment on ongoing negotiations.