CHORUS members at Welsh National Opera will strike this week after talks with the opera company broke down over the weekend.

Action by union members in the dispute over budget cuts, pay and redundancies will stop the performance of Rigoletto on Saturday (September 21), though performing arts union Equity hopes urgent talks may still find a workable alternative to avert the strike. 

Equity national official for Wales Simon Curtis said: “The meeting with WNO management made some progress but was ultimately disappointing: there was little engagement with the real concerns of chorus members around livelihoods and an unacceptable level of job losses.

“We have pushed for revised proposals and remain open for talks. We want to engage constructively to find a way forward which safeguards jobs and pay within the chorus,” Mr Curtis said.

WNO management is proposing to cut the size and salaries of its chorus, and the threat of compulsory redundancy remains on the table.