SAG-AFTRA is going on strike again.
This time, the union is calling a work stoppage against the major video game companies after nearly two years of trying to renegotiate its Interactive Media Agreement. The decision to hit the picket lines comes 10 months after the union’s initial strike authorization vote. The strike goes into effect July 26 at 12:01 a.m.
The 10 companies facing the strike are Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games, Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.
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“We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live — and work — with, we will be here, ready to negotiate,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.
In a press briefing following the announcement of the strike being called, Sarah Elmaleh, the union’s interactive committee chair and an actor in games like Hi-Fi Rush, addressed the timing of the work stoppage during Comic-Con. SAG-AFTRA members are being permitted to take part in the convention, which runs through Sunday, despite the strike order. That flexible stance, she said, stems from the fact that “this is happening very quickly and our members are going to no doubt take some time to absorb the full scope of the strike order and the rules and all of that other stuff. We feel very passionately that being at Comic-Con in order to share what it is we need, why we need it, is the best way to serve this action, to be visible, to be loud and to be open to conversation.”
Last week, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted to put the power to call the strike in the hands of National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland — a notable move and an early indicator that the union was preparing to finally make good on their repeated threats to walk away from the table.
In a statement of his own, Crabtree-Ireland said: “The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually. The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games. That includes the SAG-AFTRA members who bring memorable and beloved game characters to life, and they deserve and demand the same fundamental protections as performers in film, television, streaming, and music: fair compensation and the right of informed consent for the A.I. use of their faces, voices, and bodies. Frankly, it’s stunning that these video game studios haven’t learned anything from the lessons of last year – that our members can and will stand up and demand fair and equitable treatment with respect to A.I., and the public supports us in that.”
It’s been nearly two years since the Interactive Media Agreement was extended beyond its original expiration date to accommodate more talks between the union and the video game companies. Bargaining has continued on-and-off for that length of time. The union said Saturday that, while negotiations were ongoing, the parties “remain far apart” on artificial intelligence provisions.
A.I. has been the sticking point on this contract for months, and a strike has been expected since Crabtree-Ireland spoke about the issue during a panel at SXSW in March.
A spokesperson for the video game producers weighed in on the strike news, saying: “We are disappointed the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to a deal, and we remain prepared to resume negotiations. We have already found common ground on 24 out of 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions. Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA. These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry.”
In September, members authorized a strike authorization on this current contract. The vote was 98.32% in favor. A total of 34,687 members cast ballots, representing a voting 27.47% of eligible voters. SAG-AFTRA’s last strike against the gaming companies, in 2016-17, lasted 183 days.
The news of another actors’ strike comes just over a year after SAG-AFTRA went on strike against the major Hollywood studios, spending 118 days on the picket lines to achieve a new film and television contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Much like the Interactive Media Agreement, A.I. was a big point of contention in those talks and, ultimately, was one of the last points that the two parties reached an agreement on.
While there was some pushback from members on the A.I. provisions in that contract, it was ratified with 78% approval in October.
This call to labor action from the actors guild comes as IATSE have ratified their new contracts with the studios, but as Hollywood Teamsters are still locked in bargaining with the AMPTP for a new three-year contract. Local 399 have extended talks twice now past their original July 19 deadline. With wage increases at the heart of the still unresolved negotiations, the Teamsters current contract with the studios expires on July 31.
Dade Hayes contributed to this report.