SAG-AFTRA is on strike again with a work stoppage against the major video game companies, including EA who owns Respawn Entertainment creators of Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, after nearly two years of trying to renegotiate its Interactive Media Agreement.
The decision to hit the picket lines comes 10 months after the union’s initial strike authorization vote.
The 10 companies facing the 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.
“We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. 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,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.
In a press briefing following the announcement of the strike being called, Sarah Elmaleh, the union’s interactive committee chair and an actor in games like Hi-Fi Rush, addressed the timing of the work stoppage during Comic-Con. SAG-AFTRA members are being permitted to take part in the convention, which runs through Sunday, despite the strike order. That flexible stance, she said, stems from the fact that “this is happening very quickly and our members are going to no doubt take some time to absorb the full scope of the strike order and the rules and all of that other stuff. We feel very passionately that being at Comic-Con in order to share what it is we need, why we need it, is the best way to serve this action, to be visible, to be loud and to be open to conversation.”
It’s been nearly two years since the Interactive Media Agreement was extended beyond its original expiration date to accommodate more talks between the union and the video game companies. Bargaining has continued on-and-off for that length of time. The union said Saturday that, while negotiations were ongoing, the parties “remain far apart” on artificial intelligence provisions.
A.I. has been the sticking point on this contract for months, and a strike has been expected since Crabtree-Ireland spoke about the issue during a panel at SXSW in March.
A spokesperson for the video game producers weighed in on the strike news, saying: “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. 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.”
With actors prohibited from recording their performances for game development during the strike, this might have a detrimental effect on the development of the third game in the Star Wars Jedi series, starring Cameron Monaghan. More as we get it.
