SAG-AFTRA, Video Game Employers Reach Tentative Agreement on Interactive Media Contract – News

The Association of Screen Actors – The United Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union announced on Monday that it had reached a temporary agreement with signed video game companies – including Activity Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voice Company, Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Game Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomnia game Inc., 2 Productions Inc. and WB Games Inc. – Under the terms of an interactive media contract. The agreed terms will be reviewed and approved by the National Commission and will be approved for membership in the coming weeks. SAG-AFTRA added that specific details of the agreement will be released in future approval materials.

Through a tentative agreement, the terms of the strike suspension agreement are expected to be finalized with the employer as soon as possible, but SAG-AFTRA members will continue to implement the agreement until the agreement is reached. strike Oppose employers.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, said:

“In the sacrifices made by video game performers and the dedication of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiation Committee, patience and durability have led to a necessary AI AI-level AI competition for AI health competition with other Aigair Age Agains negotiatings vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections vernections ver

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher also said:

“Our video game performers stand with the largest employers in one of the most profitable industries in the world. Their incredible courage and durability, coupled with the unremitting efforts of our negotiating committee, have finally won a deal. Needle has made a deal. Our efforts have become better than before, and once our range is approved, we start the strategy and start all the efforts.

Joint members of SAG-AFTRA who are engaged in video games begin to conduct strike On July 26, 2024. Sag-Aftra said at the time that the reason for the strike was that “though agreements have been reached on many issues that are important to SAG-AFTRA members, employers refused to clearly affirm in clear and enforceable language that they would protect all performers in AI.”

Before the strike, SAG-AFTRA negotiated a bargaining team for a year and a half Activity Productions Inc. ; Blindlight LLC; Disney Character Voice Company; Electronic Arts Productions Inc. ; Epic GameInc. ; Formosa Interactive LLC; Insomnia game Inc.; take 2 Productions Inc. ; VoiceWorks Productions Inc.; and WB Games Inc.

Negotiations began in October 2022, and in September 2023, SAG-AFTRA members voted 98.32% in favor of strike authorization for 10 video game companies. The vote at the time did not initiate a strike, but the national committee that allowed the union to announce that the strike would take place if the ongoing negotiations were not successful.

Then, the negotiations have reached 24 of the 25 proposals.

Negotiations with employers resumed on October 23, but Extended After three days of talks, the ongoing dispute cannot be resolved.

Case sign In January 2024, a deal was reached with Replica Studios of AI Voiceover Studio, which sets the terminology for using AI in video games to use AI.

The terms of the agreement include informed consent forms (real performers, life or entertainment of the voices of the dead) using AI to create digital voice copies. They also include the requirement to securely store digital assets. The union said the deal would enable the Replication Studio to “main a fair, ethical agreement with SAG-AFTRA members to safely create and license digital replicas of their voices. Licensed sounds can be used for video game development and other interactive media projects, from pre-production releases to final releases, but the agreement also requires voiceover performers to continue using the new features.

Several voice actors at the time expressed their concerns about the agreement and how it was reached.

SAG-AFTRA’s last strike against major gaming companies began in 2016 and lasted for 183 days.

SAG-AFTRA represents over 160,000 performers (including voice actors) and negotiates contracts with the studio to ensure ongoing salary, working conditions, contributions to health insurance and pensions, and priority casting for union members.

source: Press release