Unless you've been living under a rock, you're undoubtedly familiar with the ongoing Hollywood strikes paralyzing the billion-dollar entertainment industry. Although the primary impact of these strikes has been on the film and television sectors, it appears that the world of gaming is about to step into the spotlight of labor disputes as well.
The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the organization that represents actors within the entertainment industry, has revealed that discussions with video game companies have hit an impasse. In light of this, the union's National Board has taken the decision to grant approval for a vote regarding a potential strike.
To put it simply, the performers who fall under the Interactive Media Agreement contract can now initiate a strike action if the current negotiations do not bear the desired outcomes.
In a statement addressing the matter, Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, shared her thoughts, saying: "Now our Interactive (Video Game) Agreement is at a stalemate too. The overlap of these two SAG-AFTRA contracts is no coincidence, but rather a predictable issue impacting our industry as well as others all over the world. The disease of greed is spreading like wildfire ready to burn workers out of their livelihoods and humans out of their usefulness."
