SAG-AFTRA voted to approve strike authorization for videogame actors.
Courtesy EA
SAG-AFTRA voted on Tuesday to approve strike authorization for videogame performers.
The union representing screen actors, artists, and other performers said 98% of members voted in favor of authorizing a strike against a number of videogame companies and producers, including
Electronic Arts
(ticker: EA), Activision Productions, and
Walt Disney
‘s (DIS) Disney Character Voices. SAG-AFTRA said in a news release that the authorization doesn’t mean the union is calling a strike, with the next bargaining session scheduled for Sept. 26, Sept. 27, and Sept. 28.
SAG-AFTRA said the union has been in negotiations with these developers since October 2022, but the companies have not agreed to terms that included wage increases to match inflationary pressures, protections around the use of artificial intelligence, and basic safety precautions.
“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 videogames as a viable career,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher.
“We will continue to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games. We have reached tentative agreements on over half of the proposals and are optimistic we can find a resolution at the bargaining table,” said Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the videogame producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement.
The news didn’t seem to affect investor sentiment. Shares of the videogame maker EA were down 0.7% Tuesday to $118.85. The stock has declined 2.7% this year.
This news comes after several months of strikes from Hollywood writers and actors. However, over the weekend these the Writers Guild of American reached a tentative deal with Hollywood studios.
Write to Angela Palumbo at [email protected]
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