Source : the age
A concert by Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray at Hamer Hall has been cancelled due to a proposed 24-hour strike by workers at Arts Centre Melbourne.
Friday night’s scheduled performances of theatre show GRIMM and dance work Burn the Floor: Luminous in the Arts Centre’s theatres building have also been cancelled ahead of the planned industrial action.
Hamer Hall will be closed all day on Friday and the Arts Centre Melbourne car park “scaled back” for “safety reasons” as a result of the industrial action from 12.01am on Friday, which will include a picket line in the afternoon and public rally in the evening.
An Arts Centre spokesperson said ticket holders were being notified about the disruption to shows and that a new date would be announced for Gray’s performance.
“We will contact ticket holders directly, and thank them for their patience.
“Once confirmed, a new date will be announced and all ticket holders to the cancelled performance will be contacted directly.”
A representative for Macy Gray told this masthead the singer would not be commenting on the cancellation of her Melbourne concert, one of a number of dates around Australia on her current tour.
Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia’s largest performing arts complex, is owned by the state government and is managed by a trust whose members are appointed by Victoria’s governor at the recommendation of the creative industries minister.
Staff who are members of the Community and Public Sector Union and the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance are taking protected industrial action as part of a long-running dispute over pay.
The unions say that nearly 40 per cent of the Arts Centre workforce is on the lowest pay band – band 1 – many of whom are paid the minimum award wage.
Employees were offered a 3 per cent increase this year, limited due to a wage cap imposed by the state government. The unions said the offer did not keep up with inflation and was effectively a pay cut.
Asked if the negotiations with the union would restart this week, the Arts Centre spokesperson said: “We respect the right of workers to take protected industrial action, and we’re working closely with our team and their unions to progress a new agreement.”
Union members are asking for back pay to October 2025, when the previous enterprise agreement expired, protections against artificial intelligence, standardised shift penalties and five days sick leave for casuals (who represent two-thirds of the centre’s workforce). This is the first time in decades that Arts Centre workers have gone on a 24-hour strike.
CPSU Victorian branch secretary Jiselle Hanna said the decision to interrupt Macy Gray’s show was not made lightly, “but we are left with no choice until the government funds the Arts Centre properly”.
Hanna said the Victorian government had slashed arts funding in recent years, and called on Creative Industries Minister Vicki Ward to increase its allocation to the Arts Centre.
“Vicki Ward has the opportunity to sweep in and stop this industrial action by committing to paying workers fairly,” Hanna said.
“Arts Centre workers need a pay offer that keeps pace with inflation, so they can continue to provide entertainment and high-quality experiences to millions of visitors each year.
“When world-class arts institutions aren’t [sufficiently] funded it’s not just the workers who are impacted, it’s the performers, singers, actors, and the community who benefit so greatly from our arts sector.”
A spokesperson for the minister said: “We are investing more than $1 billion to back our artists this year, from grassroots creators through to our major cultural institutions.
“We thank ticket holders for their patience as Arts Centre Melbourne works closely with their staff and unions to progress a new agreement.
“We respect the right of workers to take protected industrial action and we hope this matter can be resolved soon.”
MEAA deputy chief executive Adam Portelli said Arts Centre workers had been left with no choice but to escalate their campaign.
“Workers are at a point where they simply can’t afford to accept another agreement that leaves them falling behind,” he said.
“Arts Centre Melbourne’s success relies on its workforce. They deserve fair pay that reflects the value of the work they do …
“This is about protecting the future of a major cultural institution as much as it is about workers’ pay.
“Without proper funding, Arts Centre Melbourne cannot continue delivering the high-quality experiences Victorian audiences expect.”
Burn the Floor founder and producer Harley Medcalf was notified on Wednesday morning by Arts Centre management that the opening night of their show Luminous would no longer go ahead.
While he is understanding of the reasons underlying the action, Medcalf, who runs the small dance company with his wife, said his team would need to work “double time” after Friday’s strike to get ready for Saturday’s shows.
“I know that these [employees] who work in the theatres – and not just in the Melbourne Arts Centre, but nationally – it’s tough for them,” said Medcalf. “I hope it gets resolved in a satisfactory way for all parties … long term they need to be paid better …
“I just find it disappointing.”
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