Voice actors strike, how long does it last? What risks not appearing on TV – Corriere.it

Fans of the series The Last of Us, whose episodes come out on a regular basis every 7 days, have noticed it for a few weeks: the Italian voice actors are on strike and so the new episodes arrive on the platform only in the original language. The protest of the voice actors began on February 21st and should end tomorrow, March 15th. Three uninterrupted weeks of strike that revolves around two key points: the renewal of the CCNL, now more than 15 years old, to regulate a sector that has undergone many changes in the last decade; and the bogeyman of Artificial Intelligences that also appears in the world of dubbing (with the “transfers of rights” signed after the work is finished, in fact, the voice of the voice actors can be manipulated and replicated by “machine learning”).

Sangiuliano: «Not within our competence». M5S announces interrogation

The Ministry of Culture, led by Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, withdrew from the debate declaring the question “not within its competence” (even if it provides funding and tax breaks precisely to dubbing companies), while the parent company and the M5S deputy in the culture commission in the Chamber, Anna Laura Orrico and Gaetano Amato, have announced an urgent question. «In the silence of the government, dubbing professionals (directors, assistants, dialogue writers-adapters, voice actors) have been on strike since February 21st. Not only have their salaries been at stake for too long, with a national contract that hasn’t been renewed even since 2008, but with the advent of platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, their working conditions and rhythms have become unsustainable», denounce the two MPs. “Why, given the situation, doesn’t Sangiuliano promote the complex situation involving Italian voice actors to the other ministers?”

On March 14th the table between Anica and associations

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of March 14, a table was convened between Anica and the workers’ organizations and associations to try to reopen the dialogue on the renewal of the contract, while «15 years after the last renewed contract and after 3 weeks of strike we expect that the employers’ side has summoned us to submit a proposal for the closure of the voice actors collective agreement», explains Sabria Sharif of the national Fistel Cisl, underlining that «the issues that must find a solution are the reduction of work rhythms, the increase salary and the question of the release on the transfer of rights». Among the requests, there is also that of reducing the quantity of “lines” within the shifts (the unit of measurement of the voice actor’s fee is the line of text they have to interpret, up to 50 characters, spaces included).

Which TV products are at risk

On the basis of what emerges from the meeting “we will decide whether to continue the strike or accompany the next meetings, until the definitive closure of the contract (that is, the signature), with a state of agitation”, concludes Sabria Sharif. While Nuovo Imaie and Anad have set up a fund to support the strike, financing the weakest workers, it is early to make predictions about the duration of the strike. Meanwhile, in addition to The Last of Us, other simulcast series aired on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Now TV and Disney + could be delayed in their adaptation, while there shouldn’t be any problems for the next films, ready to hit theaters without a hitch.