SAG-AFTRA Gears Up For Possible Strike Against Video Game Industry As Board Approves Authorization Vote By Guild Membership

[Gamernyc78]

SAG-AFTRA Gears Up For Possible Strike Against Video Game Industry As Board Approves Authorization Vote By Guild Membership

The guild’s national board has voted unanimously to send a strike authorization vote to members in preparation for upcoming bargaining with video game companies.

deadline.com

SAG-AFTRA, which has been on strike against film and scripted TV productions since July 14, is now gearing up for another possible strike – this one against the video game industry. The guild’s last strike against the gaming companies, in 2016-17, lasted 183 days.

The guild’s national board has voted unanimously to send a strike authorization vote to members in preparation of its upcoming bargaining dates with 10 signatory video game companies. Voting for the strike authorization will begin on September 5 and end on September 25.

Here we go again,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “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 overlap of these two SAG-AFTRA contracts,” she said, “is no coincidence, but rather a predictable issue impacting our industry as well as others all over the world. The disease of greed is spreading like wildfire ready to burn workers out of their livelihoods and humans out of their usefulness. We at SAG-AFTRA say ‘No. Not on our watch.’”

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.

“It has been nearly a year since SAG-AFTRA’s video game contract, the Interactive Media Agreement, was extended beyond the original expiration date as we negotiated with the companies for critical terms SAG-AFTRA members need,” the guild said in a statement. “Unfortunately, throughout the negotiations, the companies have failed to address those needs. For this reason, the negotiating committee and National Board unanimously agreed that the union should have a member-approved strike authorization in hand when bargaining resumes on Sept. 26.

“Although key issues like wages that keep up with inflation and protections against unrestrained use of artificial intelligence are common sticking points in negotiations, the Interactive Media (Video Game) Agreement is a separate contract from the TV, theatrical and streaming contracts against which SAG-AFTRA members are currently striking.

“Work under the video game contract “includes a great deal of ‘performance capture,’ where trained professionals, many of whom are stunt performers, provide digitally captured performances used to give expressive movement to video game characters,” the guild said. “Unregulated use of AI poses an enormous threat to these artists’ professions.”

 

[Gods&Monsters]

They are going against Insomniac? What does it mean for Spider-Man 2?

I hope they are not going to mess with the launch like Kraven The Hunter

 

[Gamernyc78]

They are going against Insomniac? What does it mean for Spider-Man 2?

I hope they are not going to mess with the launch like Kraven The Hunter

Doesn't mean much for Spidey bcus thts done but might mean delay for Wolverine!!

 

[historia]

I mean they are just a bunch of hack writers.

Eh can replace at anytime.

They are not important. They are not farmers, or medical staffs or truckers or electricians or garbage collectors. They are worthless, they need the industry but the industry don't need them.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

yep...and things are going to get worse once the VFX artists vote for unionization as well

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I mean they are just a bunch of hack writers.

Eh can replace at anytime.

They are not important. They are not farmers, or medical staffs or truckers or electricians or garbage collectors. They are worthless, they need the industry but the industry don't need them.

do you believe the same about animation?

 

[Zzero]

This is mostly just QA teams, right? I hope they get crushed.

 

[Deleted member 223]

Insomniac and WB Games will be a problem for me as a consumer. Outside of that, look, collective bargaining works - just gets corrupted with time by those who run it. Self-bargaining is like throwing a coin in the air and hoping it lands on the face you want. It's all about leverage - always.

 

[Deleted member 782]

This is great news for the industry. It's time for the workers to get what they deserve at the end of the day.

 

[anonpuffs]

I mean they are just a bunch of hack writers.

Eh can replace at anytime.

They are not important. They are not farmers, or medical staffs or truckers or electricians or garbage collectors. They are worthless, they need the industry but the industry don't need them.

ehh except the tv shows are noticeably shittier when they're on strike lol

 

[JAHGamer]

We as gamers need to go on strike too.............(I wish)

Jokes aside, I wish them the best. I'm surprised to see Insomniac there though since employees always talk about how great it is to work there.

 

[Darth Vader]

I mean they are just a bunch of hack writers.

Eh can replace at anytime.

They are not important. They are not farmers, or medical staffs or truckers or electricians or garbage collectors. They are worthless, they need the industry but the industry don't need them.

What a sad way to view the world.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I get the concerns about AI, and unlike with the Western film and TV industry (where most of the writers have been following incredibly stupid and banal politicized trends, cliches, and tropes in their writing to the point of stories being patronizing, nonsensical, illogical, boring, sloppy etc.), I do have sympathy for some of the video game writers in this industry. They're at least more competent, though there are some very trash video game stories out there with the same problems (hello Saint's Row).

That said, you'd think if AI concerns were the biggest ones, they'd be making efforts to also appeal to the government about enforcing regulations, which would likely scare the gaming industry enough to self-regulate the presence of AI in game development, benefiting those wanting to strike. So why isn't that being done? It's worked before, though not necessarily in the same way. That's how we got the ESRB, vs. government regulation (which would've been worst), it was due to the government threatening to regulate the industry if the industry didn't do something about it first.

I also have to look at it from a customer POV; these strikes suck for customers, because it ultimately means less content to choose to purchase from. Projects get heavily delayed, and in some cases cancelled, which results in less choice and selection for end customers. People can say I'm being selfish looking at it from that POV but can't the same be said about the strikers who'll end up affecting production of content? We're already seeing how bad it's getting with film & TV, and gaming already had a lot of delays the past couple years due to lockdowns in the pandemic...do we as gamers and customers REALLY want even more of that? It's okay to be a bit selfish, you gotta look out for your best interests to some degree. But that goes for everybody.

 

[Darth Vader]

I also have to look at it from a customer POV; these strikes suck for customers, because it ultimately means less content to choose to purchase from. Projects get heavily delayed, and in some cases cancelled, which results in less choice and selection for end customers. People can say I'm being selfish looking at it from that POV but can't the same be said about the strikers who'll end up affecting production of content? We're already seeing how bad it's getting with film & TV, and gaming already had a lot of delays the past couple years due to lockdowns in the pandemic...do we as gamers and customers REALLY want even more of that? It's okay to be a bit selfish, you gotta look out for your best interests to some degree. But that goes for everybody.

I'm more than happy to wait for content if that means workers are well rested, well compensated, and not being replaced by soulless AIs.

We have been promised that automation in the workplace would lead to fewer hours of work, but what we've seen for the past few decades is that only a very few benefit from this.

May movements like these inspire others.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I'm more than happy to wait for content if that means workers are well rested, well compensated, and not being replaced by soulless AIs.

We have been promised that automation in the workplace would lead to fewer hours of work, but what we've seen for the past few decades is that only a very few benefit from this.

May movements like these inspire others.

I agree with you on principal, and I want fair working conditions and compensation for employees too. I just think more could be done in addressing specific aspects by putting some actual political pressure on the industry by appealing to political bodies simultaneously to the strike.

It could lead to a shorter strike and quicker gusto from the industry to meet the needs of the strikers, and that in turn means less of a delay for new content for customers to look forward to purchasing. That's what I feel is the best way to go about it, because my wants as a customer (and as someone who appreciates new creative output in general) are being served simultaneous to the employees needs being served, in a timely fashion.

 

[Darth Vader]

I agree with you on principal, and I want fair working conditions and compensation for employees too. I just think more could be done in addressing specific aspects by putting some actual political pressure on the industry by appealing to political bodies simultaneously to the strike.

It could lead to a shorter strike and quicker gusto from the industry to meet the needs of the strikers, and that in turn means less of a delay for new content for customers to look forward to purchasing. That's what I feel is the best way to go about it, because my wants as a customer (and as someone who appreciates new creative output in general) are being served simultaneous to the employees needs being served, in a timely fashion.

So... If the government steps in, big bad evil government that is meddling with the invisible hand of a magical market. If the government doesn't step in, poor consumers. Not saying this is your argument, but I've seen this multiple times in the past.

 

[Dabaus]

Imagine after the ordeal it’s been to acquire abk, all the ten year deals and 15 year contracts, the whole company goes on strike. Biggest waste of 70 billion ever.

 

[Kokoloko]

This is mostly just QA teams, right? I hope they get crushed.

Hey us testers need some love too lol