Negotiations between the United Dubbing of Barcelona union (Doblatge Unida de Barcelona, DUB.) and dubbing studios have averted a strike that was set to begin on January 30, 2025. 

According to a dubbing industry blog in Madrid (in Spanish), it is not just the actors who have been putting up a fight, but also those who direct them: dubbing directors had also been working without accepting new projects since January 1st as they too demanded higher pay. 

Just before the threatened work stoppage, dubbing studios withdrew a lawsuit against the DUB. strike committee, a move seen as a concession to growing unrest.

Solidarity from dubbing workers in other regions of Spain, particularly Madrid and Galicia, might have played a role in the push for negotiations, as they refused to work on projects originating in Barcelona.

Now the union and the dubbing studios have come to a tentative agreement after the studios agreed to pay dubbing directors 11.9% more for video dubbing, among other gains.

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On their end, Barcelona dubbing actors have demanded for some time that their wages be raised to match those of their Madrid counterparts, who on average make 23% more. They aim to update salary tables impacted by inflation with pay increases that reflect the rising cost of living, which is some of what Madrid’s dubbing actors achieved.

Dubbing actors are now preparing to enter their own round of negotiations and have set a deadline of June 30, 2025, to reach an agreement.

Some dubbing professionals argue that a simple equalization with Madrid salaries does not account for differences in working practices, while others claim that a unified pay scale across Spain is the only way to prevent exploitation based on regional wage disparities.

The ongoing negotiations have also been complicated by regional union dynamics. While dubbing actors seek an “artistic agreement” specifically for dubbing professionals, a local Catalonian workers union has pushed for a broader collective agreement encompassing all studio personnel. 

Dubbing actors argue that their distinct employment status, often working on a per-project basis rather than as full-time staff, necessitates a separate agreement.

The situation in Barcelona is being closely monitored, as it could set a precedent for future labor relations in the Spanish dubbing industry. Many fear that the current conflict is part of a larger effort to weaken artistic unions, a concern that resonates in Madrid as they prepare for their own new contract negotiations later this year.