Coronavirus: ROH cuts all casual staff as 'financial pressures' bite

The Royal Opera House has confirmed it has made its entire roster of casual staff redundant, with plans for further cuts looming, in order to survive Covid-19.

Employees have pleaded with bosses at Covent Garden to save their jobs, however chief executive Alex Beard said that despite announcements of "vital" government funding, "the financial pressures caused by the pandemic are such that significant cost reduction is needed".

The total number of jobs affected is yet to emerge, but the organisation confirmed that all casual contracts have been terminated and a process of voluntary redundancies among other staff is already underway.

The ROH also said it would shortly have to begin compulsory consultations affecting permanent staff as it fights to secure its future.

Beard told The Stage: "The Royal Opera House has begun the process of restructuring its staff teams. The scale of financial pressure on the ROH, alongside the continued restrictions on our ability to perform to live audiences, has resulted in this very difficult and sad decision. The process has started with a call for voluntary redundancies and the termination of all casual contracts, with a consultation on proposals for changes affecting permanent members of staff due to commence shortly."

Beard said consultations would continue throughout the summer, with input from trade unions, adding: "This is a very sad time for the organisation as a whole, and I would like to thank all staff for their valued commitment and dedication to the Royal Opera House."

The Stage understands that the ROH employs several hundred casual staff across a number of departments, including large numbers on technical teams and in areas such as wardrobe.

Shawn McCrory, who works as a casual stage technician at the ROH, said he had been informed his wages would stop from the end of July, when employers must begin making furlough contributions.

He said he and colleagues in a similar situation had relied on furlough payments to get by, as he is ineligible for the self-employed income support scheme due to earning more than half his income from the ROH.

McCrory wrote to Beard urging him to reconsider his decision to lay off casual staff members, who he said are vital to the organisation’s day-to-day operation.