Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: SAG-AFTRA, strike

SAG-AFTRA To Vote On Strike Against The Video Game Industry

The gaming industry is the next entity that SAG-AFTRA is looking to strike against, as an approval to vote on one has been issued.

It looks like the gaming industry might be the next to feel the SAG-AFTRA strike, as Guild President Fran Drescher has called for a vote by guild members. In recent weeks, the continued strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have put a strain on the film and TV industries as of late, with a recent report being that the AMPTP had to call a crisis management firm for help while the studios and their CEOs are meeting to discuss a new plan forward. At the same time, other interim agreements have been pushed forward in other areas. But it appears the strike is going to take on a new front, as it was announced this afternoon that SAG-AFTRA is looking to include interactive media in the mix.

The last time the Guild held a strike against the gaming companies was back in 2016, which lasted 183 days until an agreement was reached. Depending on who you ask, that previous deal either didn't do enough or did nothing at all to help actors in that side of the industry. The guild's national board voted unanimously to send the strike authorization vote to its members ahead of their bargaining dates with ten specific video game companies. The vote will run from September 5-25, and if approved, the gaming industry could see a strike by month's end. The ten companies highlighted by the guild are Activision, Blindlight, Disney, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Interactive, VoiceWorks Productions, and WB Games. We have a couple of quotes from the notice below as we now see whether the industry leaders respond ahead of time.

"Here we go again! Now our Interactive (Video Game) Agreement is at a stalemate too. Once again we are facing employer greed and disrespect. Once again artificial intelligence is putting our members in jeopardy of reducing their opportunity to work. And once again, SAG-AFTRA is standing up to tyranny on behalf of its members," said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. "The overlap of these two SAG-AFTRA contracts is no coincidence, but rather a predictable issue impacting our industry as well as others all over the world. The disease of greed is spreading like wildfire ready to burn workers out of their livelihoods and humans out of their usefulness. We at SAG-AFTRA say NO! Not on our watch!"

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland explained, "The voice and performance capture artists who bring video game characters to life deserve a contract that reflects the value they bring to the multibillion-dollar gaming industry. Voice and performance capture AI are already among the most advanced uses of AI: the threat is here and it is real. Without contractual protections, the employers are asking performers to unknowingly participate in the extinction of their artistry and livelihoods."

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