Members voted in favour of accepting the proposed terms, and the MU's Executive Committee subsequently accepted the deal. Photo credit: Shutterstock
We recently undertook a ballot in relation to the MU / UK Theatre Subsidised rates. Members who were working under the Subsidised rates when the theatre sector closed or who had undertaken Subsidised work since the sector re-opened were invited to vote.
Members voted in favour of accepting the proposed terms, and the MU's Executive Committee subsequently accepted the deal. The terms are applicable for one year from May 2nd 2022, and include:
1. The termination of the original Subsidised Covid Variation Agreement
2. 2% pay increase
3. Touring Allowance to be increased to £300, and Subsistence to £188.15, in line with Equity rates
4. Temporary new Weeks Out clause (until 3rd October 2022) – this expired during the balloting process, but any payments due for the term that it was effective should be paid as part of the backdating process
5. Covid Sickness Absence clause (until end of April 2023)
6. Re-introduction of Variations clause (until end of April 2023).
These terms are similar to the agreed terms for the same period for Commercial rates. However, the Commercial rates were increased by 4% for this period, as they had been frozen during the pandemic whereas the Subsidised rates increased by 2% during the pandemic. This therefore represents a similar overall payrise across the two sectors.
We will be informing the fixers of these agreed terms, and requesting that they make backdated payments where applicable ASAP.
We will soon start the negotiations for the main MU/UK Theatre agreement, and will revert to dealing with the Commercial and Subsidised sectors together.
If you require any further information, please contact theatre@theMU.org.
Read the full MU/UK Theatre agreement.