A new report suggests that the video game industry’s struggles in 2023 run deeper than firing staff and closing studios.
19.09.2023 - 14:17 / gamespot.com / Jess Reyes / Fran Drescher
Labor union SAG-AFTRA is calling on members to vote in favor of strike authorization.
By Jess Reyes on
SAG-AFTRA, the world's largest labor union representing performers and broadcasters, is asking its members to vote for the organization's right to call for a strike if necessary. While the union supports all kinds of actors, this strike authorization is aimed at protecting video game performers from issues such as low pay and recreating their likenesses with AI.
President Fran Drescher addresses these issues on Twitter with a video highlighting the cause and calling for action. She emphasizes that this vote is only to approve strike authorization to use against companies as leverage, not to strike immediately. Eligible SAG-AFTRA members can read about the Interactive Media Agreement and vote now from the official website.
«Right now is the time to show our solidarity with video game performers,» Drescher says in the video. «It's been nearly a year since SAG-AFTRA began negotiating the interactive media agreement with video game companies. Despite many multi-day bargaining sessions, the companies are refusing to meet our members' needs in vital areas.»
Video game voice actors held an 11-month strike between 2016 and 2017, which eventually led to an agreement to improve working conditions. SAG-AFTRA also joined the WGA in striking Hollywood earlier this year, with both of those ongoing. The work stoppage and delays have already cost Warner Bros. $500 million.
Again, SAG-AFTRA has been bargaining for nearly a year to finalize the Interactive Media Agreement. However, it says companies have been dragging their feet on meeting members' key needs. It lists companies participating in negotiations on its website, including Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, VoiceWorks Productions, and WB Games.
SAG-AFTRA, also known as the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, has bargaining sessions scheduled with video game companies between September 26-28. Members have until 5 PM PT on Monday, September 25 to submit their vote.
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A new report suggests that the video game industry’s struggles in 2023 run deeper than firing staff and closing studios.
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The actors union group SAG-AFTRA has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a potential strike against the games industry. Members were nearly unanimous, with 98.32 per cent of the vote being in favour of a strike — if a strike is necessary.
SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, broadcast journalists, hosts, voice actors, and other media professionals in the US, has voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike against videogame companies including Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Take-Two Interactive. The vote does not mean that a strike will be called, but the union hopes it will provide «added leverage» in its negotiations for a new Interactive Media Agreement.
The vote to authorize a potential strike for SAG-AFTRA video game performers passed overwhelmingly.
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By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.
SAG-AFTRA members have approved a strike authorization vote to enable the union to strike against game companies if deemed necessary.
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Yesterday (Monday, September 25), the American labor union, The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike on the Interactive Media Agreement which covers its members’ work on games.
Members of the major SAG-AFTRA acting union have overwhelmingly voted in favour of authorising a potential video game strike.