Saturday 21st September 2024: Musicians in the Welsh National Opera (WNO) orchestra have taken part in industrial action today, supported by the Musicians’ Union (MU).

MU members have taken Action Short of Strike by leafleting the performance’s audience and wearing campaign t-shirts instead of their usual concert dress for the opening night of Rigoletto.

The performance was directed by Adele Thomas, who will be taking office as Co-General Director and Co-CEO alongside Sarah Crabtree in January 2025.

The musicians are calling on management, Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England to keep WNO as a full-time company, stop the proposed 15% pay cut and agree a sustainable funding package to secure WNO’s future including touring.

The MU is continuing to lobby the Welsh and UK Governments to intervene given the likely impact of WNO management’s proposals on the musical landscape and economy of Wales.

It comes as the Welsh Government has recently provided an additional £1.5m in funding to support arts organisations in Wales. The MU is urging Arts Council of Wales and Welsh National Opera to ensure that the additional funding is used to safeguard full-time, employed, unionised jobs currently at risk in the WNO orchestra and chorus.

Over 11,000 people have signed a petition started by musicians in the orchestra to protect WNO. MU members’ campaign has also been backed by members of the Senedd and TUC Cymru/Wales TUC.

MU General Secretary, Naomi Pohl, said: “We welcome the acknowledgement of the funding crisis facing Welsh arts organisations and the need for further support to protect musicians’ jobs in Wales. It is encouraging that the voices of our members and all those who support WNO are being heard.

“Our members don’t take industrial action of any kind lightly. They are motivated by the inevitable impact of management’s proposals on Welsh culture and audiences and the loss of opportunity for freelance musicians, as well as the personal impact of the proposed reduction in their hours and pay.

“There are very few opportunities to see live opera in Wales and South West England and the WNO management’s proposals will mean some areas have no provision at all. Alongside the proposed closure of the Welsh College of Music and Drama’s junior department, and the ongoing closure of St David’s Hall, musical activity in Wales has seriously diminished.

“We hope the seriousness of the situation is evident to the Welsh Government and that they will step in if the Arts Councils can’t or won’t.”

MU Regional Organiser for Wales and South West England, Andy Warnock, said: “WNO has long been funded by a combination of Arts Council England and Arts Council of Wales and it serves parts of the UK that other opera companies don’t reach.

“Arts Council England made the first and largest cut and this has sadly meant a reduction in WNO’s touring plans, as well as the proposed changes to pay and conditions. Given the objectives of both the Welsh and UK Governments and Arts Councils to ensure equal access to the arts across the UK, in all towns and communities, this is a massive backwards step.

“MU members won’t sit by while musical opportunities for audiences, musicians and young people vanish. There is still time for the Wales and UK Governments to step in and provide the additional support that's needed to protect WNO as a national cultural asset and we hope they will do so.

“We are pleased the orchestra have taken the important decision to take industrial action today and we’ll be with them every step of the way.”

MU National Organiser for Orchestras, Jo Laverty, said: “We simply do not accept yet another opera orchestra being forced into part-time, less secure employment.

“Whilst the recent emergency funding package from Welsh Government to Arts Council Wales is welcome, it is not at all clear whether this will be prioritised in terms of supporting stable and secure employment for our members, as we are lobbying for it to be.

“These are highly skilled jobs but they are not paid as such. Taking members’ salaries back to where they were five years ago means members are facing really tough financial decisions about whether they can afford to stay with the company.

“Given the landscape of ever reducing opportunities for musicians to make a living in Wales, some will be forced to leave the country altogether.”

To help protect orchestra jobs at the Welsh National Opera, sign the MU’s petition at: https://www.megaphone.org.uk/p/protectwno.

ENDS

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Notes to Editors

Background to the WNO orchestra’s campaign

The campaign follows Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England funding cuts, which have forced WNO management to consider making the orchestra part time and cutting musicians’ pay by 15 per cent.

WNO will also have to cut down on touring as a result of the funding shortfall for the company, which risks leaving towns and cities like Llandudno and Bristol without the high-quality opera provision they deserve.

Musicians of the WNO orchestra will be calling on management, Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England to keep WNO as a full-time company, stop the proposed 15 per cent pay cut and agree on a sustainable funding package to secure WNO’s future, including touring.

Equity members in the WNO Chorus, who are on different contracts to the orchestra, are also campaigning against the cuts. Equity members are also taking industrial action today and have the MU's full solidarity.

Musicians pay in Wales

The Musicians' Census surveyed close to 6000 musicians across the UK to gain detailed insight into their working lives, how much they earn and the barriers to a career in music.

Musicians’ Union analysis of the data from respondents in Wales reveals:

•A third of respondents in Wales earn less than £7,000 a year from music

•Respondents in Wales who earn all or part of their income from music have an average income of £17,266 a year

•84% of respondents in Wales identify as performing musicians

•Specific challenges for musicians in Wales include financial barriers, transport costs, rural inequalities and the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and arts funding.

About the Musicians’ Union

The MU represents over 35,000 musicians working in all sectors and genres of music.

As well as negotiating on behalf of its members with all the major employers in the industry, the MU offers a range of services tailored for the self-employed by providing assistance for professional and student musicians of all ages.

Further details about the Union can be found here: https://themu.org.

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