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SAG-AFTRA members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike against 10 of the major video game companies. The vote was 98.32% in favor. A total of 34,687 members cast ballots, representing a voting 27.47% of eligible voters. The guild’s last strike against the gaming companies, in 2016-17, lasted 183 days. The guild, meanwhile, has been on strike against the film and TV industry since July 14.
“It’s time for the video game companies to stop playing games and get serious about reaching an agreement on this contract,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “The result of this vote shows our membership understands the existential nature of these negotiations, and that the time is now for these companies — which are making billions of dollars and paying their CEOs lavishly — to give our performers an agreement that keeps performing in video games as a viable career.”
The guild’s board and negotiating committee had already voted unanimously to recommend the authorization vote, which required 75% approval of voting members to pass. Today’s vote, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be a strike, but rather, gives the national board to authority to call a strike if negotiations fail to produce an acceptable agreement.
The guild and the companies will resume negotiations on Tuesday, and now that strike authorization has been approved, a strike could come any time after that.
“After five rounds of bargaining, it has become abundantly clear that the video game companies aren’t willing to meaningfully engage on the critical issues: compensation undercut by inflation, unregulated use of AI and safety,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “I remain hopeful that we will be able to reach an agreement that meets members’ needs, but our members are done being exploited, and if these corporations aren’t willing to offer a fair deal, our next stop will be the picket lines.”
It’s been nearly a year since the guild’s video game contract, known as the Interactive Media Agreement, was extended beyond its original expiration date. “Unfortunately, throughout the negotiations, the companies have failed to address those needs,” the guild said on Sept. 1 as it geared up for another strike.
Many of the issues involved in the ongoing film and TV strike are common to those in the video game contract, including wages and artificial intelligence.
“Between the exploitative uses of AI and lagging wages, those who work in video games are facing many of the same issues as those who work in film and television,” said Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez. “This strike authorization makes an emphatic statement that we must reach an agreement that will fairly compensate these talented performers, provide common-sense safety measures, and allow them to work with dignity. Our members’ livelihoods depend on it.”
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said on September 1 as the guild was facing the prospect of dual strikes, “Now our Interactive Video Game Agreement is at a stalemate too. Once again, we are facing employer greed and disrespect. Once again artificial intelligence is putting our members in jeopardy of reducing their opportunity to work. And once again, SAG-AFTRA is standing up to tyranny on behalf of its members.”
The 10 companies facing a possible 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.
Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game companies said, “We all want a fair contract that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in an industry that delivers world-class entertainment to billions of players around the world. We are negotiating in good faith and hope to reach a mutually beneficial deal as soon as possible.”
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