SAG-AFTRA Members Vote to Authorize Video Sport Strike

SAG-AFTRA might quickly have one other strike on its fingers.

On Monday, union members voted 98.32 p.c in favor of a strike authorization in opposition to the online game business, with 34,687 members casting ballots and representing a share of 27.47 p.c of eligible voters. Whereas the outcomes don’t assure a piece stoppage will happen, it offers union negotiators the flexibility to name a strike throughout ongoing negotiations for a brand new Interactive Media Settlement in the event that they deem one crucial.

“It’s time for the online game corporations to cease taking part in video games and get severe about reaching an settlement on this contract,” mentioned SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “The results of this vote exhibits our membership understands the existential nature of those negotiations, and that the time is now for these corporations — that are making billions of {dollars} and paying their CEOs lavishly — to offer our performers an settlement that retains performing in video video games as a viable profession.”

The voting interval started on Sept. 5 and ended on Monday, upfront of negotiations restarting on Tuesday. “We concern with out having substantial leverage in place, the businesses will proceed to pull their toes on making an appropriate deal,” the union says on a webpage in regards to the vote. “The end result of the IMA negotiations will decide whether or not our members working in interactive media can proceed incomes knowledgeable dwelling doing the job they love.”

Negotiations over the brand new contract — which covers voice, movement seize and stunt work on video video games, in addition to different performances — have been ongoing for practically a yr with a bunch of employers together with Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Digital Arts Productions Inc., Epic Video games, Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Video games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc. and W.B. Video games Inc.

With these talks, the union is looking for to considerably enhance compensation for his or her performers working beneath the contract to counteract the results of inflation, regulate the usage of AI for performances in video video games and implement larger security measures for each on-camera and voice artists. “It’s not being dramatic to say we’re at a crossroads the place the very sustainability of a profession performing in video video games is at stake,” SAG-AFTRA government vp Ben Whitehair informed members in a latest informational video.

SAG-AFTRA’s chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez has been main talks for the union, whereas Kauff McGuire & Margolis managing companion William E. Zuckerman has been heading the negotiations for administration.

“Between the exploitative makes use of of AI and lagging wages, those that work in video video games are dealing with lots of the identical points as those that work in movie and tv,” mentioned Ray Rodriguez. “This strike authorization makes an emphatic assertion that we should attain an settlement that may pretty compensate these proficient performers, present common sense security measures, and permit them to work with dignity. Our members’ livelihoods depend upon it.”