SAG-AFTRA announced this Thursday that it will declare itself in Strike against major video game publishersafter more than a year and a half of negotiations, the main obstacle being protections against the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
”While agreements have been reached on many issues important to SAG-AFTRA members, Employers refuse to state clearly, in clear and enforceable language, that they will protect all performers covered by this contract in their AI language” the actors’ union said.
The strike will come into effect from July 26was called by the national executive director and chief negotiator of the American union, Duncan Crabtree – Irelandand the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiation Committee.
What they seek to achieve with the strike
As they explain, ”any game that seeks to hire SAG-AFTRA talent to perform covered work must sign the new Tiered Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement, the Interim Interactive Media Agreement or the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement. These agreements offer critical AI protections for members”.
In addition, they included a list of companies of video games that adhere to the strike: 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.
“We will not accept a contract that allows companies abusing AI to the detriment of our members,” he said Fran DrescherSAG-AFTRA president. “Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering a deal that our members can live and work under, we will be here, ready to negotiate,” he added.
For her part, the spokesperson for the video game producers that are part of the Interactive Media Agreement, Audrey Cooling, detailed in a statement: ”We are disappointed that the union has decided to walk away when we are so close to an agreement.and we remain prepared to resume negotiations.”
”We have already found a common ground in 24 of the 25 proposalsincluding historic wage increases and additional safety provisions. Our offer directly addresses SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful protections for AI including requiring consent and fair compensation for all performers working under the IMA. These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry,” he described.
The antecedent
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the game publishers on the new agreement began in October 2022. The union began seeking approval for this second strike last September, and members authorized the work stoppage with a 98.32% vote.
SAG-AFTRA’s latest strike against video game makers It was in October 2016when the union was fighting for a residual compensation structure. The strike ended almost a year later, in September 2017.
Source: Ambito
