English National Opera Staff to Strike Over Job Cuts and Part-Time Contracts

The protest, set for February 1, comes in response to funding cuts and a controversial relocation plan imposed by Arts Council England.

The English National Opera's musicians and singers are set to strike on February 1, marking the first full strike action by the Musicians Union in 44 years.
The strike is a protest against plans to cut jobs and make remaining staff members part-time, a move that the unions argue threatens musicians' livelihoods.
The dispute stems from funding cuts and a relocation imposed by Arts Council England, which removed the ENO from its annual funding portfolio and required it to move outside London to qualify for future grants.
ENO management plans to make all of the chorus, orchestra and music staff redundant and re-employ them for six months of the year, with some musicians being offered only ad-hoc freelance work.
The ENO's music director, Martyn Brabbins, resigned last year following the announcement of the cuts.