SAG AFTRA has been fighting many battles these last few years, having organized a strike in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America in July of 2023. That strike also focused on how the streaming model was affecting actors, and how the use of A.I was to be regulated. After coming to an agreement that ended the strike in November of 2023, the union has since begun a new strike against video game employers. Beginning on July 26, 2024, this strike is focused around protections for actors from the unconsented use of A.I on their work. As the strike enters its second month, it’s nice to hear some good news.
Earlier today, Games Industry talked about developers responsible for 80 games agreeing to either tiered budget plans or interim agreements. It’s an exciting sentiment, especially on the heels of the announcement that SAG-AFTRA had reached its first agreement with Lightspeed LA, which is the creator of Last Sentinel.
In the same interview, chief negotiator and union executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland has made a statement on the recent strides the talks have made.
We applaud those video game companies signing our tiered-budget and interim agreements… Not only are they doing the right thing by their workers, they’re also helping to preserve the human art, ingenuity and creativity that fuels interactive storytelling.
Crabtree-Ireland’s words are a resounding affirmation for the ideals of the strike, and hopefully a show of momentum in reaching agreements with more developers. Unlike the Writers Guild strike, or the first SAG AFTRA strike last year, the current strike has not seemed to have the same coverage in media or general awareness. Despite those possible setbacks, SAG AFTRA is continuing its fight and continuing to claim victories.
While bigger names companies might not be on these lists – in fact it was failed negotiations with a coalition of the biggest gaming names like Activision, Electronic Arts, WB Games, and Disney that started the strike – Crabtree-Ireland is hopeful following this success that those companies are not representative of the larger industry, and in fact are a very vocal minority pushing against these provisions.
Find out how to help with the strike in whatever way you can through SAG AFTRA.