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SAG-AFTRA and Video Game Employers Reach a Tentative Agreement on Interactive Media Contract. National Board to Review

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SAG-Aftra Interactive Media Agreement

Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the signatory video game companies, which include Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc. have reached a tentative agreement on terms for the Interactive Media Contract, subject to review and approval by the National Board and ratification by the membership in the coming weeks. Specific details of the agreement will be released with the ratification materials.

It is expected the terms of a strike suspension agreement will be finalized with employers soon. Until such agreement is reached, however, SAG-AFTRA members will remain on strike against these employers.

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

Everyone at SAG-AFTRA is immensely grateful for the sacrifices made by video game performers and the dedication of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee throughout these many months of the video game strike. Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary A.I. guardrails that defend performers’ livelihoods in the A.I. age, alongside other important gains. Thank you, Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Chair Sarah Elmaleh and Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez for your hard work and advocacy in pursuit of this contract.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher stated:

Our video game performers stood strong against the biggest employers in one of the world’s most lucrative industries. Their incredible courage and persistence, combined with the tireless work of our negotiating committee, has at last secured a deal. The needle has been moved forward and we are much better off than before. As soon as this is ratified we roll up our sleeves and begin to plan the next negotiation. Every contract is a work in progress and progress is the name of the game.

SAG-AFTRA members have been on strike against video game employers since July 26, 2024. Prior to that, SAG-AFTRA members approved a video game strike authorization in September 2023 with a 98.32% yes vote.

SAG-AFTRA Strikes League of Legends and files an unfair labor practice charge

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 SAG-AFTRA called a strike today against popular online game League of Legends, after a company that produces the game tried to subvert the video game strike. The union believes those actions, by the company Formosa Interactive LLC, to be a flagrant violation of labor law and has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the company with the National Labor Relations Board.

The complaint comes after Formosa tried to “cancel” one of its struck video games shortly after the start of SAG-AFTRA’s video game strike. When they were told that was not possible, they secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for “NON-UNION” talent only. SAG-AFTRA charges that these serious actions are egregious violations of core tenets of labor law – that employers cannot interfere with performers’ rights to form or join a union and they cannot discriminate against union performers. The unilateral and surreptitious transfer of union work to a “non-union” shell company is an impermissible and appalling attempt to evade a strike action and destroy performers’ rights under labor law.

In light of Formosa’s unfair labor practices, SAG-AFTRA’s National Executive Director, with the advice and consent of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, has called a strike of League of Legends, one of the company’s most high-profile games. SAG-AFTRA members must immediately cease providing covered services to League of Legends and the game will be updated on the union’s search function as a struck game. 

Formosa is one of the members of the bargaining group that has refused to agree to protect our members against the unethical use of A.I. Until today, League of Legends was one of several games that remained unstruck. Formosa is the union signatory and provided voiceover services to League of Legends.