(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) - Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland - acting under the authority delegated by the SAG-AFTRA National Board and with the unanimous advice and counsel of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, has called a Strike of the Interactive Media Agreement.

The Strike began on Friday (July 26th at 12:01 a.m.) after more than a year and a half of negotiations without a deal.

The Convenience Bargaining Group with whom SAG-AFTRA is negotiating includes Activision Productions Incorporated, Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Incorporated, Electronic Arts Productions Incorporated, Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Incorporated, Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Incorporated, VoiceWorks Productions Incorporated and WB Games Incorporated.

Any game looking to employ SAG-AFTRA talent to perform covered work must sign on to the new Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement, the Interim Interactive Media Agreement or the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement. 

These agreements offer critical Artificial Intelligence (AI) protections for Union Members.

Negotiations began in October 2022 and on September 24th, 2023, SAG-AFTRA Members approved a Video Game Strike Authorization with a 98.32% yes vote.

Although agreements have been reached on many issues important to SAG-AFTRA Members, the employers refuse to plainly affirm, in clear and enforceable language, that they will protect all Performers covered by this contract in their AI language.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said: “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.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: SAG-AFTRA Members Who Work on Video Games Go on Strike | SAG-AFTRA (sagaftra.org)