Stephen Jackson dismissed as director of BBC Symphony Chorus

[underthecountertenor]

I can't see that there is anything about this anywhere else on the forum, but I may be wrong.

Jackson's contract has not been renewed, and the chorus are reported (by Lunchtime O'Boulez at least) to be up in arms.

[french frank]

I can't see that there is anything about this anywhere else on the forum, but I may be wrong.

Jackson's contract has not been renewed, and the chorus are reported (by Lunchtime O'Boulez at least) to be up in arms.

Did I gather that his contract had ended and was not renewed? Which is not quite the same as 'being dismissed'.

[underthecountertenor]

That's my understanding, ff. O'Boulez refers to it as a 'dismissal' because there was a general expectation that his contract would be renewed as a matter of course, as it had in the past. (As it happens, I had been intending to take issue with the description of Kasper Holten's departure from the ROH, elsewhere on this forum, as a 'resignation' for much the same reason - he simply did not accept the offer of a 5-year renewal - but I decided against it even though in my view it is if anything more misleading than the use of 'dismissal' in this context, but there we are).

Of course I do not know the background to the non-renewal, and I certainly wouldn't take O'Boulez's report on trust, as the source is clearly someone who is very sympathetic to Jackson, so it's hardly impartial (and I mistrust Private Eye as a matter of course). But what is clear is that the non-renewal was non-consensual, and dismissal seems a convenient shorthand.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I think you'll find that quite a few who were not previously sympathetic to Stephen Jackson are horrified by the manner of his "dismissal", or whatever you want to call it.

[gurnemanz]

O'Boulez may have had several lunchtime drinks but has quite a lot of detail from a "senior representative": a committee EGM to which Alan Davey and Paul Hughes General Manager of the BBC Symphony Orch were invited but did not attend ("insulting", "a snub"), growing tension and lack of recognition + talk of a strike with a big concert coming up on Dec 17. I can't find anything about this anywhere online.

[french frank]

I can't find anything about this anywhere online.

I think Lunchtime gets his stories from enquiring about things from anyone he thinks might give him a story (believe me!). Even N Lebrecht hasn't picked it up. As ever, it's one side of the story, possibly from one individual.

[underthecountertenor]

I think Lunchtime gets his stories from enquiring about things from anyone he thinks might give him a story (believe me!). Even N Lebrecht hasn't picked it up. As ever, it's one side of the story, possibly from one individual.

Quite!

[Barbirollians]

Did I gather that his contract had ended and was not renewed? Which is not quite the same as 'being dismissed'.

It is exactly the same as being dismissed if you are an employee .

[french frank]

It is exactly the same as being dismissed if you are an employee .

But presumably, even more 'exactly' the same if you are an employee with no other employment. To me, the interesting question to probe is why the BBC would not renew the contract. No one here seems qualified to answer.

[Beef Oven!]

Did I gather that his contract had ended and was not renewed? Which is not quite the same as 'being dismissed'.

In my view, it's about context - it is not the same as 'being dismissed' because really, we are thinking about 'being sacked'. Technically speaking, retirement counts as a dismissal as does the non-renewal of Stephen Jackson's contract. But it is misleading to describe such terminations of contract as 'dismissals' in common parlance, because we know people will assume that the employee has been 'sacked', perhaps for being naughty, incompetent or something else that's 'interesting'.

Let solicitors, HR Directors, Trades Union officials and other fellow travellers* talk of 'dismissals' and we'll talk about Jackson leaving the BBC Symphony Chorus and not having his contract renewed. :pinkeye:

Edit: * and barrack-room lawyers.

[mopsus]

I've friends in the BBCSO chorus and they're gutted. Stephen Jackson himself is not making any public comment at the moment.

[muzzer]

FWIW the non-renewal of a fixed term contract is a 'dismissal' in law - ss 95 and 136 of the Employment Rights Act, hence I assume the reason the word was used in that piece.

[Beef Oven!]

FWIW the non-renewal of a fixed term contract is a 'dismissal' in law.............

Posts #8 & #10 have already said that.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I've friends in the BBCSO chorus and they're gutted.

Gutted? Spitting mad would be a better description.

[Barbirollians]

FWIW the non-renewal of a fixed term contract is a 'dismissal' in law - ss 95 and 136 of the Employment Rights Act, hence I assume the reason the word was used in that piece.

Exactly the point I was making before . FF is also wrong , a person may have two employments . If Mr Jackson was employed by the BBC the non-renewal of a contract is a dismissal which to avoid being unfair the BBC would have to justify on one of the specified statutory grounds so long as he had been employed for two years .

If it was a contract for services and he was truly self-employed then it would not be a dismissal .

I don't know who BO is referring to as a barrack room lawyer ? If it is me I have been a fully qualified one firstly as a solicitor and now as a barrister for over 20 years .