SAG-AFTRA remains "frustratingly far apart" from major game companies

SAG-AFTRA – the union that represents 160,000 actors, voiceover artists, and different media professionals – has issued an replace concerning the video game strike, saying it remains “frustratingly far apart” from video game studios and publishers.
In a statement, the union stated it was working to handle “alarming loopholes” in a proposal ready by the bargaining group, which boasts representatives from Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, EA, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take-Two, and WB Games.
“The bargaining group would have you believe that we are close to reaching a deal,” the union stated. “This is not the case. They also are hoping our members will turn on each other. We encourage you to read this extensive updated comparison chart of AI proposals to see for your self how far aside we stay on elementary AI protections for all performers.
“They want to use all past performances and any performance they can source from outside the contract without any of the protections being bargained at all. You could be told nothing about your replica being used, offered nothing in the way of payment, and you could do nothing about it. They want to be able to make your replica continue to work, as you, during a future strike, whether you like it or not. And once you’ve given your specific consent for how your replica can be used, they refuse to tell you what they actually did with it.”
The union did acknowledge, nonetheless, that while it has but to search out sufficient frequent floor with the bargaining group, it has had “great success with other employers,” with greater than 160 upcoming video games signing as much as the “interim and independent agreements.”
“Those agreements contain the protections we have been asking the bargaining group for – terms that are clearly feasible and acceptable to a great number of game companies of all sizes, even as the bargaining companies resist,” it stated.
“That’s why it’s important to check the status of any role you’re considering. If you get an audition, check the status of the game at sagaftra.org/videogamestrike. Know that the only games that are safe to work – those with AI protections – are those that show up as ‘Let’s Play’.”
SAG-AFTRA voted to strike at the end of July after it failed to succeed in an settlement with the comfort bargaining group over rights and safety issues raised by the {industry}’s exploration of AI applied sciences.
Yesterday, we reported that two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors claimed they had been replaced for participating in the SAG-AFTRA strikes.