An anecdote from a team member

I first felt that things were starting to change at the Young Vic when asked by my manager to make myself available - with a few days' notice - on a given date to attend a dress rehearsal for a forthcoming show. My future shifts were apparently dependent on seeing this show before I worked on it, in a newly introduced rule that had not been communicated to the whole of the zero-hours-contracted team. I explained that I was not available that weekend, due to a longstanding arrangement, and offered my apologies. Not good enough: I was asked to drop my shift the following Tuesday (that I had been rotaed to work for some weeks) in order to watch the performance, as all of a sudden it was absolutely an obligation that staff should sit in and watch a show before working it. I was 'reminded' that ushers (as all staff) are offered a pair of tickets for previews for this purpose - this was news to me after my three years at the theatre! I politely declined, reasoning that as those who were available to watch the dress rehearsal on the weekend would be paid, I did not see the reason for my dropping a shift and losing the wages in order to conform to a newly and arbitrarily introduced rule. At this stage, I involved our union rep. I was informed that in fact, I was not alone in being asked to do this (I should say that I was offered the opportunity to pick up an extra shift later in the rota - but being paid weekly and knowing how many shifts a week I want to work, this unfortunately was not much of an offer). I was advised by the union to do as asked by my line-manager, and turned up to watch the show, as a meeting would be taking place between the union and the theatre in order to determine whether or not ushers should be paid for their time.

The outcome, thankfully, was the right one for the ushers, and I was paid a minimum call time for what was now an obligation on my time, something that is not reciprocated by the theatre in this kind of contract. This was only down to the persistence of the ushers who queried this demand, and the union involvement. This was an unreasonable and underhand request made of loyal and long-serving ushers, and the Front of House management team hoped that it would pass by unnoticed. I fear this is the shape of things to come at the Young Vic.