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Posted in: Games, Indie Games, Video Games | Tagged: SAG-AFTRA, SAG-AFTRA Strike
SAG-AFTRA Announces Picket To Happen At Disney Character Voices
As part of their strike against the video game industry, SAG-AFTRA announced a new planned picket to happen at Disney Character Voices
Article Summary
- SAG-AFTRA plans a new picket at Disney Character Voices on August 15 from 9am-12pm in their video game industry strike.
- Union strikes due to stalled negotiations over AI usage in developing voice content in video games.
- Strike targets companies like Activision, Electronic Arts, and WB Games for better AI protections in contracts.
- SAG-AFTRA's strike follows a 98.32% approval vote for a video game strike authorization by members last year.
SAG-AFTRA has confirmed where their next picket line will be as part of their strike against the video games industry, as they're headed to Disney Character Voices. In a short press release sent out this afternoon, the union confirmed it would protest outside of their offices from 9am-12pm on August 15 as a show of support for each other and to raise awareness over the current issue for voice actors in video games. The group went on strike back on July 26 after negotiations for the Interactive Media Agreement had essentially reached a stalemate, particularly over the use of AI to create content with their voices without hiring them for further work or paying them for content made using artificial intelligence. As well as their likenesses being used from MOCAP sessions to create new content without having to bring them back in. For now, we have the original call to strike statement below.
SAG-AFTRA Call For Strike – July 2024
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, acting under the authority delegated by the SAG-AFTRA National Board, and with the unanimous advice and counsel of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, called a strike of the Interactive Media Agreement, effective July 26 at 12:01 a.m. Today's vote to strike comes after more than a year and a half of negotiations without a deal. The convenience bargaining group with whom SAG-AFTRA is negotiating includes Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.
Any game looking to employ SAG-AFTRA talent to perform covered work must sign on to the new Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement, the Interim Interactive Media Agreement or the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement. These agreements offer critical A.I. protections for members. Negotiations began in October 2022 and on Sept. 24, 2023, SAG-AFTRA members approved a video game strike authorization with a 98.32% yes vote. Although agreements have been reached on many issues important to SAG-AFTRA members, the employers refuse to plainly affirm, in clear and enforceable language, that they will protect all performers covered by this contract in their A.I. language.
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