The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has voted in favor of a strike authorization against the video game industry. Union members set a course for a video game strike to take place today, as 98.32% sided in favor of a strike, with 34,687 members casting ballots, representing 24.47% of eligible voters.
“It’s time for the video game companies to stop playing games and get serious about reaching an agreement on this contract,” SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said in a statement. “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 voting result is a major push toward a strike, but it doesn’t quite mean that a strike will now take place. Essentially, the overwhelmingly successful vote simply gives SAG-AFTRA members the option to cease work should negotiations with gaming companies fall through. Negotiations have taken place since October 2022 but have yielded no substantial results. As the group explains, “The companies have refused to offer acceptable terms on some of the issues most critical to our members.” Some of SAG-AFTRA goals include wages that account for inflation, protections from exploitive use of AI, and basic safety precautions.
“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,” chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez said. “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.”
The next few rounds of talks are set to take place September 26, 27, and 28. Companies taking part in the discussions include Activision, Disney, EA, Insomniac Games, Epic Games, Take-Two Productions, Warner Bros. Games, and more. SAG-AFTRA’s successful vote signals that these companies should take worker demands seriously so as to avoid a strike. However, if negotiations continue to stall over the coming days, then a proper strike is likely.
“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,” SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said. “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.”
A SAG-AFTRA video game strike could mark a monumental shift toward fair compensation and treatment in the gaming industry, but it’s not the first of its kind. In 2016, union members launched a strike that saw the group seeking compensation for successful game sales, stunt coordinators, job transparency, and a better understanding of vocal stresses. SAG-AFTRA eventually saw its wishes granted even if it took nearly a year to do so.
Meanwhile, the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA Hollywood actors have both been participating in strikes for the majority of this summer. While the WGA reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to bring an end to its strike, SAG-AFTRA remains on the picket lines with no clear deal in sight. We’ll know more about the existing strikes and a potential video game strike as the days roll on, so be sure to stay tuned for any and all updates.
