For nearly two years, SAG-AFTRA has been engaged in talks with numerous video game companies. The union represented voice and motion caption actors in discussions with Disney Character Voices, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros Games, and Insomniac Games among others.
But as negotiations over AI reached an impasse, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s chief negotiator, has called a strike.
This industrial action has been in the works since last September, with 98% of their union’s near-35,000 membership voting to authorize a strike. Union members’ contracts with video companies expired on November 7, 2022. Since then, the union has been operating monthly with the companies.
Why is SAG-AFTRA striking against video games companies?
According to the union, pay hasn’t been keeping pace with inflation. Along with pay being a major issue, AI has become a concern for union members. More specifically, the use of AI in the contracts of creators whose voices and likenesses have been used in games.
On July 20, SAG-AFTRA’s national board voted to provide authority to Duncan Crabtree-Ireland to call a strike.
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said in a statement: “We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live — and work — with, we will be here, ready to negotiate.”
Meanwhile, Audrey Cooling, a representative for the video game producers, said: “We are disappointed the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to a deal, and we remain prepared to resume negotiations. We have already found common ground on 24 out of 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions.”
Cooling added, “Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA. These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry.”
