Index – Culture – They are slowly running out of time at the Opera House: an important date is approaching

The workers’ strike at the Opera House previously stirred up a lot of noise in the Hungarian cultural public life, many opera house workers – from the male faculty to the technical workers – voiced their dissatisfaction. They announced that they would go on strike if their situation did not change. They kept their promise. The announced performances were therefore truncated, or without choir and orchestra accompaniment, or a different work compared to the one announced was performed – also truncated, with piano accompaniment. Spectators left the performances en masse and returned their tickets. At the beginning of the performances, Director General Szilveszter Ókovács addressed the audience, explaining the situation.

This can provide stability

At one point, however, the process stopped because the Opera House promised to fulfill the demands, and therefore the workers suspended the strike. Since then, there has been silence, but only apparently, since the main goal was the conclusion of the collective agreement before. Once again, the opera performances are going well, while negotiations are going on in the background, behind the scenes. The IndexBalázs Bárány, the president of the Independent Trade Union of Opera House Workers (ODFSZ), made a statement about the current situation.

“Our employment problems, which were one of the sources of the conflict, i.e. the workers’ strike, seem to be settled for the most part. The Hungarian State Opera adheres to the agreements concluded so far and regularly includes them in the draft collective agreement.”

Balázs Bárány perceives that now all problems seem to be solvable, they just require a more detailed discussion.

So far, no neuralgic issue has arisen that we cannot resolve, although the positions on the automatic increase of basic wages are not really converging for the time being. We want Opera to undertake to raise basic wages every year by the rate of inflation, plus at least two percent more

– said the union president, who believes that this can provide stability for the parties.

Until they get to the vineyard

The head of the ODFSZ sees that the position and attitude of the management of the Opera House has changed drastically in the recent period, and he is already negotiating with the representatives of the Opera House employees as a partner. The parties agreed to negotiate until they reach a settlement.

According to Balázs Bárány, the negotiations are progressing successfully for the time being because a significant proportion of the Opera House company joined the strike: they voiced their dissatisfaction and displeasure and were able to resist. “They have shown that they are able to act with self-awareness and their own good in mind.”

The offer that the Opera House offered to the Union of Hungarian Musicians and Dancers and the Independent Trade Union of Opera House Workers was previously posted on the website of the ODFSZ. Among other things, they write:

• Compared to the wage improvement offer announced in the circular on March 18, 2024 (Monday), Opera will implement an additional basic wage increase of an average of 20 percent for the wages of March 1, 2024, with effect from October 1, 2024, July 2024, for all employees. Back to 1.

The offer is valid if performances are held in order from March 24, 2024, and will expire if the parties do not sign a collective agreement by April 30, 2024 and the strike continues.