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In November the ACE announced plans to move the ENO because it is a national portfolio organisation.
The public body proposed the ENO receive a £17 million grant over three years, but only if it relocated outside of London with a move to Manchester suggested.
In April, it was announced the opera company would receive funding of up to £24 million from ACE to support a relocation.
On Thursday an event saw members of entertainment trade unions Equity and the Musicians’ Union gather to hear the motion passed.
The motion called for no job losses at the ENO as a result of funding cuts and demanded that Arts Council England “end its requirement for the ENO to establish a primary base out of London”.
Equity, which is representing chorus and stage management workers at the company, fears the relocation will lead to redundancies and rehiring creative workers on precarious freelance contracts.
Proposing the motion, Londonwide assembly member Elly Baker said: “I am delighted to put forward this motion to protect a vital part of London’s economy and the unionised workers who make culture happen in our city.
“By adopting this motion today, the London Assembly will make clear to the Arts Council that they need to stop their badly thought out, rushed plan to move the ENO outside of London.”
By adopting this motion today, the London Assembly will make clear to the Arts Council that they need to stop their badly thought out, rushed plan to move the ENO outside of London.
She continued: “The impact on the lives and livelihoods of the workers at the ENO is clear. Families and careers have been hanging in the balance for months, it needs to stop.”
“The chorus and stage management workers at the ENO deserve better from the Arts Council than this rushed decision.”
“The Arts Council should listen to the concerns of the London Assembly, expressed this afternoon in our motion and receiving cross party support, and I look forward to the offer of a meeting with ACE chief executive Darren Henley to address our concerns.”
A recent survey of the Equity members working at ENO revealed more than two-thirds of staff would quit the company and the profession if it were to relocate outside London.
Members cited ties that include children at school, caring responsibilities and partners with jobs in the capital.
Thursday’s motion also called on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to intervene with ACE and the Secretary of State for Culture over the proposed move.
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