SAG-AFTRA, Videogame Makers To Resume Talks As Another Strike Looms

LOS ANGELES — The SAG-AFTRA actors' union, which is already on
strike against Hollywood film and TV studios, will resume contract negotiations
today with video game production companies, with union members overwhelmingly
authorizing a strike if talks break down.

According to an announcement by the union Monday night, 98.32% of
eligible union members who cast ballots voted to authorize a strike if
necessary. Nearly 34,700 union members cast ballots, representing about 27.5%
of the union's eligible members.

``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,'' SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a
statement.

Contract talks are scheduled Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with the
affected video game companies — Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney
Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive,
Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, VoiceWorks Productions and WB Games.

The video game agreement is separate from the contract covering film
and TV actors, who are on strike amid stalled talks with the Alliance of Motion
Picture and Television Producers. The union noted that many key issues are the
same, most notably compensation and protections against the use of artificial
intelligence.

According to the union, SAG-AFTRA is seeking an 11% retroactive wage
increase for video game workers and 4% increases in the second and third years
of the contract, along with mandatory rest breaks, on-set medics during stunts
or hazardous work and ``vocal stress protections.''

— By City News Service