MILAN (AFP) — Lawyers for La Scala's management told the Italian culture ministry the opera house wanted to directly negotiate a salary dispute with theatre workers in order to stop the second day of strikes, a statement said.
Workers of the Milan opera house went on strike on November 9 and November 17 in order to protest against their contracts not being renewed, causing three performances to be cancelled.
La Scala's 800 workers want salary increases and better working schedules. Officials at Italy's most prestigious opera house said that they had to wait for an agreement at the national level on a new collective contract before discussing salaries with La Scala employees.
"La Scala confirms its willingness, out of respect for the law and economic possibilities, to recognise the work accomplished," it explained in a statement, noting that between 2001 and 2007 the number of performances staged had increased from 164 to 273.
They demanded that the ministry "open a discussion" on the law that outlines the negotiations on the collective contract so that they can respond "to these new social needs and to the management."
"I do not see any opening, we are always at the starting line," union official Sandro Malatesta said regarding the meeting with La Scala's lawyers.
The recent strikes sparked concerns about the opening of the 2007-2008 season which will start on December 7 with a performance of Richard Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde", headed by Israeli-Argentine conductor Daniel Barenboim with stage direction by France's Patrice Chereau.
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