Ballet Battle

The WA Ballet is facing a battle for better pay. And why not, when over half of the dancers earn less than $40 000/year. With current inflation rates and rising costs across the board, it is surprising there hasn't been more of this sooner. Apparently the Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) don't want to have anything to do with it saying they were not responsible. Without extra funding, the company will not be able to meet the demands for a payrise and the most likely result will be strike action.

Personally I thought that developing culture was a prime concern of the DCA. Maybe I am wrong there. Arts Minister Ms McHale is prepared to meet with the management of WA Ballet, and while that is going on the dancers will be meeting to vote on further action.

A recent request for more funding was meant to have been finalised in December last year. This has been delayed until May 2007, for the time being. Yet the statement is that an increase for salaries was not in the original request. Maybe not, that shouldn't exclude them now however.

Michael Sinclair from the MEAA stated that a small amount of funding, "less than $200 000 over the next 18 months," would see an end to the argument. How was it ever allowed to go this far?