Trade union representatives denied Tuesday that an accord initialled Monday with the city will put an end to a labour dispute at Rome's Opera Theatre.
Hopes for music and dance buffs that the hallowed institution will avoid threatened closure were dashed when representatives of CGIL and FIALS unions, which called recent strike action that disrupted performances, said no binding agreement has been reached and they are ready to strike again come August.
Also on Tuesday, Mayor Ignazio Marino said the Opera Theatre lost 12.9 million euros last year and the strikes have caused losses of 300,000 euros so far, the mayor added.
The accord reached Monday with Rome city council alderwoman for cultural heritage, Giovanna Marinelli, was initialled by representatives of the CGIL, CISL and UIL labour union federations though not by FIALS.
The agreement "covers an overwhelming majority of workers," Marinelli said.
Asked if a performance of La Bohème being staged Tuesday might be hit by strike action, Marinelli said it was unlikely since an internal agreement requires unions to give a 48-hour warning of an imminent strike.
Earlier this month another performance of La Bohème at the Caracalla Baths went ahead without the orchestra and only piano accompaniment because musicians struck.
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