Stage workers at the renowned Scala opera house in Milan went on strike despite recent legislative changes that have reclassified the cultural sector as an essential service. In a context of austerity politics, workers at many museums, theatres and operas have increased industrial action over the last few years. After museums and archaeological sites closed in September, when workers called an unexpected strike and left hoards of tourists waiting for hours, a legislative bill was drafted to restrict the right to strike. On 5 November, the senate passed a bill, which reclassifies museums and other cultural institutions as essential services, on a par with schools and hospitals. Under the new law, workers will need to give 10 days notice and may have to accept minimum intervals between strikes. Simultaneously, the government released funds to pay workers in the sector overdue overtime pay of 2014 and 2015. Trade unions, however, responded their fight is not over and warned more actions were to be expected. In a separate fight, the stage workers at the Scala lead the way with a new strike less than a week after the new law was passed.
English: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/11992570/La-Scala-opera-house …
http://theartnewspaper.com/news …
For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.