Dancers at Northern Ballet are celebrating this week as bosses have agreed to pay for mandatory wig calls, which the company had previously made them work for free, and to cease early wig calls for the rest of the season. The issue was summed up by an Equity Dep as “it was unfair to be asked to attend earlier and be unpaid”.
The ballet dancers, who are all Equity members, had been preparing to ballot for industrial action over the issue, after negotiations with management broke down. The dispute centred on the fact that Northern Ballet could call a dancer for their wig fitting up to an hour before the agreed working time and the dancer would not be paid, ultimately meaning the dancers were working for free.
All credit is due to the determination and clarity of Equity Deps and members. It’s a great outcome!
Dominic Bascombe, Equity North East Official
With the prospect of industrial action on the horizon and a show of united strength from Equity members, management agreed to pay dancers for the wig fittings. Some will also receive backpay for the unpaid hours they have already worked.
Equity North East Official, Dominic Bascombe, praised the Deps and members, saying: “This was a strongly felt issue across the company and I have no doubt there would have been a unanimous vote for strike action. That disruption was narrowly avoided when management realised the determination of members to address the problem of early unpaid starts. All credit is due to the determination and clarity of Equity Deps and members. It’s a great outcome!”
Dancers frustrated with working for free
Northern Ballet, which is based in Leeds, creates and tours ballet to towns and cities across the UK. The internationally renowned company boasts a line-up of dancers from across the globe, from apprentice level right up to leading principal dancer. Upcoming tours include the world premiere of Gentleman Jack.
Equity holds a house agreement with Northern Ballet, which was broadly strengthened in 2024. But while there were improvements in the terms and conditions for dancers - including additional holiday and clarity around touring and travel - the non-payment for wig calls remained an issue.
In the latest round of house agreement talks this March, Equity Deputies at the dance company proposed a change for wig calls but were unable to reach a resolution. Frustrated with the lack of progress, dancers took a vote to not attend the calls ahead of the tour of a new production in Sheffield. The dancers then felt that they were being pressured by the company to attend the early wig call and wanted the protection of an industrial action vote.
Equity Northern Ballet Deputy Toni Artigues, says:
“Having to go for wigs was becoming more and more frustrating. Under the agreement, the dancers would be paid to attend wig calls that were earlier than the half hour call before curtain up, but the payment only kicked in after up to one hour of time that we were already there. There was never any doubt in our minds that we would go ahead with some kind of action if we had to. Something needed to give.”
Equity Regional official Dominic Bascombe wrote to the company with the outcome of the dancers’ vote and a unanimous decision was taken to start the process of industrial action.
Just two days later, the company met the dancers’ demands and agreed to:
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pay all the dancers who had been required to attend early in Sheffield;
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no more early wig calls for the rest of the 25/26 performance season;
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submit a proposal to discuss the wig calls that would take place moving forward.
The dancers accepted management’s proposals and agreed to call off the ballot. This was a win for the workforce and a clear example of what can be achieved when Equity members stand together.
Equity Deputy Amber Lewis, says:
“The dancers wanted to make the point that it was unfair to be asked to attend earlier and be unpaid. We had clearly shown them that we were prepared to work together and get what we wanted. This may seem to be a minor issue, but the strength of unity that the dancers all brought together, showed that it meant the world to us!”
