Helsinki City Theatre lays off all its staff
The co-operation negotiations at the Helsinki City Theatre, which began on 25 November, have been completed. In order to balance its finances, which have been hit by the coronavirus epidemic, the theatre is laying off its entire staff for a fixed period.
In 2020, the interruption of performance activities due to the coronavirus epidemic and performances in half halls have reduced the theatre’s own income generation by 70 per cent compared to a normal year. In order to balance the theatre’s financial situation and budget for 2021 and to secure future operations, the theatre will lay off its entire staff for the interim days from 28 to 31 December and for four weeks during the next spring season. These measures aim to achieve savings of approximately one million euros.
“We are following the epidemic situation with concern and what kind of restrictions we will have to operate in next spring. We aim to place the weeks of lay-offs in the spring in late spring, as we really hope that we will find other ways to balance the economy at the beginning of the year, and that lay-offs could still be avoided,” says Theatre Director Kari Arffman.
“We, the staff representatives, consider it important that we have a very good dialogue with the theatre’s management. The decisions made now are tough, but necessary. However, we must also remember that this very special and difficult situation is an ever-evolving process, and then it also involves possibility and hope. Things may still be set differently,” say elected officials Heidi Naakka, Antti Timonen and Sasu Tuominen.
Helsinki City Theatre employs approximately 240 monthly salaried and approximately 100 temporary theatre professionals annually.
In a normal year, the Helsinki City Theatre’s own income generation is approximately EUR 10 million, which is used to finance approximately 40 per cent of the theatre’s operations.
The previous co-operation negotiations at the Helsinki City Theatre took place in March. At that time, layoffs were avoided by, among other things, rearranging the staff’s working, holiday and holiday days and postponing premieres.
Further information and interview requests:
Kaisa Pelkonen, Communications Manager, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788
Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki, https://hkt.fi/