For the first time in four decades, dancers of the Australian Ballet will take industrial action after negotiations with management over a new workplace agreement reached an impasse on Monday.
Dancers will “hold the curtain” at this Friday’s performance in Melbourne, meaning the show Identity, a program of two original works, will be delayed by 15 minutes.
In response, ballet management has cancelled a one-off bonus performance of a new short work that was due to take place after tonight’s show.
The dancers’ union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, has blasted the action as ‘punitive’.
And for the audience in the theatre tonight? It will mean an extra 15 minutes is added to the evening, so it might take you longer to get out of the carpark…
But do Australians support people’s right to protest and strike in industrial action? Even when it makes them miss out on a bonus performance and take longer to drive home on a dreary, cold winter’s night? Tonight will tell…
Have you ever taken strike action? Or have you been interrupted by strike action? Share your experiences in the comments below.
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