Equity calls for contracts to be honoured during mourning

Employers that cancel productions during the mourning period should honour contracts with workers, performers' union Equity has said.

In issuing guidance for members working in live performance during the mourning period, Equity said that because venues and event organisers are not obliged to cancel events/performances, the period of national mourning cannot be treated as "force majeure" – whereby one or both parties are excused from a contract because of circumstances beyond their control.

"Therefore, contracts should be honoured except where both parties agree otherwise," the union said.

Equity added that as the day of the funeral will be a bank holiday, members who are required to work should check the terms of their contracts carefully to establish if further payments will be due to them for working on a public holiday.