SAG-AFTRA Seeks Approval for Second Strike Against Video Game Companies
01.09.2023 - 23:17
/ variety.com
Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer With one strike already underway, SAG-AFTRA announced Friday that it will seek authorization for a second strike against the major video game companies. The union said that talks on a new video game contract have reached a “stalemate,” and that the strike authorization vote is needed as leverage to win wage increases and protection from artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA declared a strike on July 13 against the major TV and film companies, shutting down productions around the globe.
Talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have not resumed. The union has a separate contract with the major video game makers, including Activision and Electronic Arts. The contract was originally due to expire last Nov.
7, but was extended for a year to allow for further discussions. The talks are due to resume on Sept. 26.
SAG-AFTRA is asking for an 11% retroactive increase in rates for video game performers, followed by increases of 4% and 4% — identical to its asks from the film and TV studios. The union also wants protections from AI, which it says poses a threat to voice and performance capture artists in the video game field. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA’s president, Fran Drescher, blasted the video game companies for their “greed and disrespect.” “Once again artificial intelligence is putting our members in jeopardy of reducing their opportunity to work,” Drescher said.
“And once again, SAG-AFTRA is standing up to tyranny on behalf of its members.” The chief negotiator for the video game companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA went on strike against the video game companies in October 2016. The strike lasted 11 months.
The website celebfans.org is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can
send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.