SAG-AFTRA President Encourages Members to Support Strike Authorization Against Video Game Companies.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has rallied members to consider authorizing a potential strike against the video game sector, emphasizing the importance of unity in the current climate. This move follows the ongoing strike against film and TV industries initiated on July 14, with the possibility of action against gaming companies arising after the voting period concludes on September 25. The guild’s previous strike targeting gaming companies lasted 183 days during 2016-17.
In a recent address, Drescher clarified that voting for strike authorization doesn’t guarantee a strike will occur but empowers the board to enact one if circumstances demand it.
“It has been nearly a year since SAG-AFTRA commenced negotiations for the Interactive Media Agreement with video game firms,” she remarked in the video. “Despite numerous lengthy bargaining sessions, these companies are reluctant to address our members’ critical concerns.”
Key issues at the forefront of the ongoing film and TV strike, namely wages and the integration of artificial intelligence, also figure prominently in the potential strike against gaming companies. SAG-AFTRA advocates for identical wage increments in both contracts—11% in the inaugural year, followed by 4% in the subsequent two years—to offset inflation. Additionally, the guild asserts that the “unregulated deployment of AI poses a comparable or potentially greater risk to performers in the video game industry compared to its impact in film and television.”
Video game companies maintain their stance, expressing the desire for “an equitable agreement that recognizes the significant contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in an industry that provides world-class entertainment to billions of players globally. We engage in good faith negotiations and aspire to achieve a mutually advantageous resolution promptly.”
