SAG-AFTRA union members have voted sure to authorize a online game strike. It did so with a 98.72% vote in favor of authorizing a strike on the Interactive Media Settlement that covers its members’ work within the video games trade. In complete, 34,687 members solid ballots, which represents 27.47% of eligible voters, SAG-AFTRA writes in a press launch.
This vote doesn’t imply SAG-AFTRA is placing, however offers the union leverage in its ongoing negotiations and, if wanted, permits the union to start a strike instantly. The union hopes this strike authorization will work as added leverage, compelling the businesses it’s bargaining with “to make vital motion on vital points the place we’re nonetheless far aside.”
As for why, SAG-AFTRA has been in Interactive Media Settlement negotiations with “signatory online game corporations,” together with Activision Productions Inc., Disney Character Voices Inc., Digital Arts Productions Inc., Insomniac Video games Inc., Epic Video games, Take 2 Productions Inc., WB Video games Inc., and extra, since October of final yr. SAG-AFTRA says, “All through the negotiations, the businesses have refused to supply acceptable phrases on among the points most crucial to our members, together with wages that sustain with inflation, protections round exploitative makes use of of synthetic intelligence, and primary security precautions.”
The subsequent bargaining session begins immediately and is scheduled for tomorrow, September 27, and Thursday, September 28, as nicely.
“It is time for the online game corporations to cease enjoying video games and get severe about reaching an settlement on this contract,” SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher writes in a press launch. “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 CEOs lavishly – to present our performers an settlement that retains performing in video video games as a viable profession.”
SAG-AFTRA nationwide govt director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Eire says it has change into clear to the union after 5 rounds of bargaining that online game corporations aren’t keen to meaningfully interact on vital points like compensation undercut by inflation, unregulated use of AI, and security. “I stay hopeful that we can attain an settlement that meets members’ wants, however our members are performed being exploited, and if these companies aren’t keen to supply a good deal, our subsequent cease might be on the picket strains,” Crabtree-Eire says within the press launch.
“Between the exploitative makes use of of AI and lagging wages, those that work in video video games are dealing with most of the similar points as those that work in movie and tv,” chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez writes within the press launch. “This strike authorization makes an emphatic assertion that we should attain an settlement that can pretty compensate these gifted performers, present common sense security measures, and permit them to work with dignity. Our members’ livelihoods rely on it.”
After a unanimous suggestion of the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Settlement Negotiating Committee and Nationwide Board earlier this month, voting data was despatched to eligible members on September 5. The ultimate deadline to vote was yesterday.
Beforehand, SAG-AFTRA referred to as for a strike for its members performing online game work again in October of 2016. The strike lasted virtually a yr earlier than a brand new contract was signed in November 2017. It went into impact on November 8, 2017, and was anticipated to run by November 7, 2020. Nonetheless, an settlement was reached between member staff and their employers that prolonged this contract to November 7, 2022, as reported by Selection.
“We’re happy to have reached this settlement with the employers,” then SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris stated in a press release. “The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the leisure trade, however work on video video games, a lot of which may be performed remotely, has continued. This extension permits members to maintain working and have some certainty throughout an unsure time.”
This extension elevated wages by 3% annually, with well being and retirement contributions rising .5%, in accordance with Selection.
Forward of the contract’s expiration in November 2022, bargaining started in October 2022. It continues this week, now with a strike authorization in play.
This SAG-AFTRA strike authorization comes shortly after the Writers Guild of America (WGA) union reached a tentative settlement in Hollywood. It has but to be ratified however is anticipated to be and can finish a virtually five-month strike that started in Might of this yr. SAG-AFTRA’s tv and movie arm started placing in July; it’s nonetheless placing immediately.
SAG-AFTRA says the Interactive Media Settlement negotiations “do not have an effect on the timing or anticipated progress of negotiations or our strike on the TV/Theatrical contract” and that this strike authorization vote doesn’t influence the continuing TV/Theatrical strike.
