In an interview with "Vikerhommik," Gert Raudsep explained that the organizers of the protest do not believe that the cultural sector should receive preferential treatment compared to others, but rather that it should be treated equally.

"Solidarity should extend to actors even when the country is doing well. The minimum wage for cultural workers is stagnating at €1,600, but the average wage is moving in the other direction in a situation where sectoral cuts now seem to reflect solidarity. Where was this solidarity when the country was prospering?" Raudsep asked.

Raudsep pointed out that funding for culture in Estonia has dropped from 3.8 percent to 2 percent of the national budget over the last 20 years.

"This has been the case under every coalition government since then. The issue is that culture has not been a priority. It only becomes important when it's time to roll out the red carpet for yet another building opening," Raudsep remarked. Therefore, the theater community's protest is also about the state's financial policies and whether culture is considered equally alongside other sectors. "We are out here in support of solidarity."

To illustrate the current situation, Raudsep noted that his base salary at the Estonian Drama Theatre is €1,700, with an additional €10 per performance, before taxes. The average salary for actors at the Estonian Drama Theatre is €1,683. Furthermore, less than half of the theater's budget comes from state support, with more than half of the necessary funds being generated from ticket sales.

Raudsep stressed that the focus of Tuesday's protest is the looming threat of long-term wage poverty for cultural workers, which is unacceptable. While the wage negotiations led by the Estonian Employees' Unions' Confederation (TALO) with the government concern cultural workers with higher education, there are many others in the sector with different backgrounds, and the minimum wage for cultural workers serves as a benchmark across the industry.

Raudsep emphasized that the individuals affected by the minimum wage issue are highly educated professionals, including world-class specialists. "The current wage level is not fair," said the head of the theater union.

When asked whether reducing the number of state-supported theaters in Estonia might allow for better compensation for some theater workers, Raudsep replied that such a decision would require a cultural policy determination.

"But the decision must be justified – why would we not need a theater in Tartu, Pärnu, Viljandi, Rakvere or certain theaters in Tallinn? I fear that such justifications would be quite weak. However, if anyone wants to enter into that discussion, go ahead – it's a normal part of societal debate," Raudsep said, adding that such a decision should also involve the National Opera Estonia, which operates under its own legal framework.

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