SAG-AFTRA Members Vote Yes To Strike Against Video Game Companies

The move won’t start a strike right away, but it strengthens the bargaining position.

More strikes are looming in the entertainment industry. If contract negotiations fail, SAG-AFTRA members have voted overwhelmingly to strike against video game companies. This strategic move won’t start a strike immediately but strengthens their bargaining power and brings them closer to a potential work stoppage, causing more disruptions. Even if the WGA strike is over, this development is part of a larger wave of unrest within the entertainment industry, highlighting concerns about fair compensation, workplace conditions, and the impacts of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI).

An astounding 98% of participants in the vote have authorized a potential strike. This critical development arrives just in time as union leaders and game companies prepare for upcoming negotiations on the Interactive Media Agreement.

SAG-AFTRA’s top concerns, according to Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, align with the issues that led to the actor’s strike against Hollywood producers: compensation undermined by inflation, unregulated use of AI, and safety protocols.

An outdated 2017 agreement fails to address crucial issues, leaving members worried about their rights and protection. Concerns surge in the entertainment industry as AI gains prominence. Actors are fighting for contracts that safeguard their rights, demanding consent and fair compensation for the replication of their voice and likeness. The negotiation committee aims for a wage increase of 11% from the previous contract’s expiration to match inflation, followed by 4% raises in the second and third years of the new agreement. Demand for improved worker protections is on the rise. One specific request is a mandatory five-minute rest period per hour for on-camera performers, prioritizing safety during stunts and hazards by bringing in a set medic. The union said on its website that the game companies’ wage proposal offered a 5% increase effective upon ratification, a 4% increase in the second year, and a 3% increase in the third year. According to union leadership, the signatory game companies pulled in more than $19 billion in global revenue last year.

Game industry giants like Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Take Two, and Warner Bros were among the 11 companies affected by the last video game strike in 10/2016. Lasting over a year, this strike ended in September 2017 with a tentative agreement introducing a new bonus compensation system for voice and motion capture actors in the gaming industry.

Source: Los Angeles Times