SAG-AFTRA Voice Actors Now on Strike Against a Number of Game Companies

[ffronw]

SAG-AFTRA Voice Actors Now on Strike Against a Number of Game Companies

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1357/1357237.jpgThe promised SAG-AFTRA video game voice actors strike is now officially underway.

The video game voice actors strike that was threatened last week [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/168626-Video-Game-Voice-Actors-to-Go-On-Strike-this-Friday-Unless-a-Deal-is-Reached] has officially commenced. The union said last week that it would be trying to reach an agreement, but that it was "not confident" in reaching a resolution.

On its website, SAG-AFTRA says that "A last attempt to reach an agreement with video game employers this week was not successful. Management remains unwilling to agree to fair terms that would bring the interactive contract into the 21st century. Therefore, as of 12:01 a.m. PT today, SAG-AFTRA is on strike against the following video game employers with regard to all games that went into production after Feb. 17, 2015:"

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Blindlight, LLC
Corps of Discovery Films
Disney Character Voices, Inc.
Electronic Arts Productions, Inc.
Formosa Interactive, LLC
Insomniac Games, Inc.
Interactive Associates, Inc.
Take 2 Interactive Software
VoiceWorks Productions, Inc.
WB Games, Inc.

Earlier this week, Scott J. Witlin, the attorney representing the "coalition of Interactive Video Game Publishing Companies" that is negotiating with SAG-AFTRA, issued a statement [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/statement-of-interactive-media-video-game-companies-on-threatened-strike-by-sag-aftra-performers-300345616.html] saying that,

"We have negotiated in good faith for the past 18 months with SAG-AFTRA union leaders, and are making progress toward a new contract. We are deeply disappointed to learn today of the Union's threatened strike and its unilateral violation of the mutually agreed upon 'news black-out' on negotiation discussions.

We consider the Union's threatened labor action to call a strike precipitous, unnecessary and an action that will only harm their membership. SAG-AFTRA represents performers in less than 25% of the video games on the market. Any strike would not only deny SAG-AFTRA's membership work, but this would also give their competitors, who do not engage union talent, a leg up while any strike would be in place."

In announcing the strike, SAG-AFTRA said that "During a strike, it is critical that all members demonstrate solidarity so that we can present a united front to management. If you work for one of the affected productions, it's your responsibility to honor the strike, but even if you're not, your support is needed." The union also says that it plans to form a picket line outside EA's offices on Monday, October 24.

It remains to be seen how the strike will affect the video games that are currently in production, but Witlin says that the group of companies doesn't expect there to be a major disruption. "We anticipate minimal impact on current and near-future game releases," he said.

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[Dornedas]

Yeah the voice actors can strike as long as they want the royalties depending on number of games sold will NEVER happen.
The Companies are way to interested in keeping their sales secret.

And Apparently the game companies already offered a 9% wage nc rease and a bonus of up to 950$ per game depending on number of sessions.

Links to the statement of the companies regardings previous made offers:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/video-game-companies-make-9-wage-hike-offer-to-sag-aftra-performers-plus-additional-compensation-300348297.html

Edit: So they represent not even 25% of voice actors?
No wonder they wanted to force everyone to join them.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I fully support the voice actors here. Just like in every other goddamn industry on the planet, the productivity of employees and the profits of the companies have increased exponentially. And the only people getting richer are the top executives. The people that do the least amount of work. Fuck that. Why should they get to keep all the extra cash when they're the ones doing the least amount of work? This is how income inequality works and why the people are pissed.

 

[Damir Halilovic]

Unless I am mistaken, they want royalties. Hah! The developers who have spent half a decade slaving over the game don't get royalties, and a half-talented hack who comes in for a three day shooting session wants them?

Good riddance.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

And now, a moment of silence...

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I hope we get to see a gif or video of David Hayter slapping Hideo Kojima on the wrist.

Interestingly enough no reference of any Japanese Game Companies, especially when it comes to providing and English Dub to American/Western Audiances.

 

[meiam]

Yeah... no. Pretty much everybody else on the development side deserves royalty before voice actor do. People play game for the gameplay, the story, the competition or the graphic. Very few people play because they heard the game had awesome voice acting, the only game I can think of that could sell itself with that is Bastion and that's a small indie title. VA can just go at the back of the queue, or not, if they strike they'll just be replaced by somebody else, since, again, there pretty expendable.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Yeah... no. Pretty much everybody else on the development side deserves royalty before voice actor do.

Then they should unionize. This is what unions are for. It's not about who deserves something first. It's about who actually stands up to fight for their worker rights. Something like this has a chance to inspire developers to do the same. Especially if voice actors can pull it off. So some support from the actual gamers would be nice.

 

[Devin Barker]

So what I am seeing is some more room opening up in this industry

 

[thepyrethatburns]

Yeah... no. Pretty much everybody else on the development side deserves royalty before voice actor do.

Then they should unionize. This is what unions are for. It's not about who deserves something first. It's about who actually stands up to fight for their worker rights. Something like this has a chance to inspire developers to do the same. Especially if voice actors can pull it off. So some support from the actual gamers would be nice.

The question then becomes "How much more are YOU willing to pay for each game?"

 

[Link Kadeshi]

As a union man myself, I hope they can settle this. Maybe force an arbitration. Good luck, all.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

I say go for it. And as noted in the terms, it's against these specific companies, so not all game companies will be affected. Furthermore, it's not like the companies they're railing against are innocent. We're talking about companies like EA, Activision, Disney, and Take Two, all of them corporations that are worth hundreds of millions if not outright billions. They have more than enough to share with voice actors as well as their own employees. Game companies need to learn a lesson and start acting like they're in the entertainment industry instead of the tech sector.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Funny thing about the "but devs don't get royalties" argument:

It always seems to be used to justify paying voice actors less, but never used to try and pay devs more.

C'mon guys and gals, devs deserve royalties too. Fight for that instead of fighting against royalties for voice actors. Hell, voice actors get royalties for movies, tv shows, and freaking commercials, why are videogames some special snowflake?

Tv and movie writers get royalties. Devs and programmers should totally unionize, and get the royalties they deserve.

 

[scotth266]

So some support from the actual gamers would be nice.

I'm of two minds on this. On one hand, it's true that voice actors get screwed pretty hard - they're considered really replaceable which can kill immersion with franchises when beloved characters suddenly sound completely different. I play FF14 and they changed like 90% of the voice actors when they released Heavensward - I wound up switching my voices to Japanese as a result since many of the actors/actresses were replaced by sub-par copies.

Spoiler: Jim did an excellent video on this very topic.

On the other hand, unions sometimes blowhard for the sake of looking good, and the article gives me the feeling that this is one of those times. I'm honestly kind of amazed they even got a nine percent pay raise when their membership isn't even 25% of the industry... though maybe they have the top actors or something.

 

[Poetic Nova]

Quite frankly.

It doesn't seem to affect Guerilla Games (Because Horizon: Zero Dawn), and neither will it affect the PS4 port of Amnesia that will release next month. Meaning that I'm incredibly "meh" about this whole situation.

And the companies it does affect probably wont give a shit, and hire new VA's.

 

[Dornedas]

... though maybe they have the top actors or something.

Well they have SOME of the top actors, Jennifer Hale and David Hayter, but not all of them.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Then they should unionize. This is what unions are for.

It's a shame that there is this deeply embedded anti-union mentality in America.

 

[meiam]

Then they should unionize. This is what unions are for.

It's a shame that there is this deeply embedded anti-union mentality in America.

It's mostly deserved, union dig there own hole by asking insane retirement plan that are impossible to finance and will saddle the next few generation with worse service and asking for seniority to be the determining factor in promotion and fire order. On top of that it seems like they take a hard stance at protecting every employee, even the incompetent or the downright criminal. I was in an union once a little bit, and it was crap like that that was happening.

If union want to get the respect that they used to garner, a respect that was 100% deserved, they need to clean up and cut the non sense and seems like there part of the solutions rather than a part of the problem that just keep asking for more money.

But considering this union that represent less than 25% of the talent pool, for a job that's pretty easy and within reach of most people, require little training and has negligible influence on the final product is going on strike, I have little hope.