Employees of theaters and orchestras want to protest against the savings plans of the Lower Saxony state government on Wednesday next week (November 10) in Hanover. The organizers of the demonstration announced that not accepting the upcoming wage increases in the public service would in fact be tantamount to a reduction. Several workers’ associations and employees fear that it will cause a deficit of millions in both the independent and municipal theaters in Lower Saxony and the state theaters. Even now, theater professionals are often underpaid. The draft budget for 2022/23 is to be decided in December in the state parliament in Hanover.
According to the State Theater Hanover, more than 1000 participants from several cities are expected to attend the demonstration on November 10th. The protest march should start at Opernplatz and end in front of the state parliament. Under the motto #rettedeintheater, protests have been going on in many theaters following performances since October 9th. So far, more than 6,000 people have had one Online petition Signed against the plans of the state government, it said. Around 8,000 protest postcards were sent to the State Chancellery.