Equity members, with general secretary Paul Fleming, centre, who has just been overwhelmingly re-elected for a second five-year term [Mark Thomas]

WEST End actors and stage staff have overwhelmingly backed strike action with unions telling theatre producers: “pay up now!”

The Equity union say summer strikes are now a real possibility following an indicative ballot of more than 850 members in the “world-class wages” dispute.

It says that 99 per cent of members backed the strike plan and that a full ballot will be held in the coming months.

Equity general secretary Paul Fleming said: “West End workers have spoken loud and clear: they’re demanding better pay and conditions and are prepared to move to strike action to secure them. This is a resounding result in an unprecedented ballot. Never before has Equity asked members to back our position in theatre negotiations in this way, but they have stepped up and rightly expect their pay and conditions to improve.

“The West End is internationally renowned, and these world-class stages should pay world-class wages, not leave workers needing second jobs to pay their bills or burnt out by six-day weeks and insufficient holiday.

“SOLT [The Society of London Theatre] and the producers must wake up to the real possibility of a summer of strikes unless offers are improved.”

Equity’s claim is for a 7 per cent pay increases each year for three years, along with better holiday provision, full incapacity pay for those injured on shows, and specialist payments for roles like fight captain, social media captain, and for stage management covering additional duties.

The SOLT, which represents producers, is the body that negotiates terms of a collective agreement for theatre workers in the West End. It sets minimum pay, terms and conditions for the workforce.

An indicative ballot takes place to test the water as to whether members would agree to collectively go on to strike. Equity says that the SOLT is proposing a package which does not meet “reasonable expectations on pay, holiday, rehearsal working time, injury, and stage management differentials”.

It also says that stage managers are often asked to take on extra roles, like running social media campaigns, that is not acknowledged by pay scales.

The strike ballot update comes in the week that an annual report, compiled by the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, reveals the costs of staging West End work.

Data collected from shows running across 2025 found mounting a play in the West End now requires between one and two million pounds in upfront investment, while staging a musical requires between £3million and £10million.

Weekly costs for a West End play are around £120,000 to £200,000 before royalties, while a West End musical may have fixed weekly costs of £300,000 to £400,000, and employ over 150 people across cast, orchestra, technical, wardrobe, front-of-house, management, and marketing.

A spokesperson for SOLT said: “Equity have informed us of the response to its informal indicative consultation. Constructive, good-faith discussions are ongoing, and we have already made meaningful progress together in a number of areas.

“We look forward to our upcoming meeting with the Equity team and remain committed to the jointly agreed process, and to continued productive discussions to reach a fair, sustainable minimum-terms agreement as soon as possible.”