LOS ANGELES — SAG-AFTRA members will vote beginning subsequent week on whether or not to authorize union leaders to name a strike in opposition to online game corporations, within the newest signal of spreading labor unrest within the broader leisure sector.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists stated it’s been practically a yr since its contract with online game corporations was prolonged from its expiration date.
The guild management’s name for a strike authorization vote comes after the union’s movie and TV actors went on strike in mid-July, becoming a member of Writers Guild of America-represented screenwriters who’ve been on the picket line since early May.
For online game performers, SAG-AFTRA is looking for wage will increase and protections in opposition to using synthetic intelligence.
The union stated its final contract with the online game corporations, negotiated in 2017, didn’t deal with key points together with AI — a significant challenge introduced up in the course of the present twin Hollywood strikes, the place movie and TV actors and writers have expressed considerations in regards to the know-how encroaching on their jobs.
“Once again we are facing employer greed and disrespect,” stated SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher in an announcement. “Once again artificial intelligence is putting our members in jeopardy of reducing their opportunity to work. And once again, SAG-AFTRA is standing up to tyranny on behalf of its members.”
If these beneath the interactive contract go on strike, it will mark the primary time since October 2016.
During that strike, SAG-AFTRA focused 11 corporations, together with divisions of Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Take Two, Insomniac Games, Warner Bros. and Disney.
Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the online game producers who’re get together to the Interactive Media Agreement stated the businesses “all want a fair contract.”
“We are negotiating in good faith and hope to reach a mutually beneficial deal as soon as possible,” Cooling stated.
Postcards with voting info can be mailed to eligible voting members on Tuesday and voting will shut on Sept. 25 at 5 p.m., the union stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”