SAG-AFTRA Prepares for Second Day of Protests

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced plans for a second day of picketing. Scheduled for Thursday, August 15, from 9am to noon, the event will take place at Disney Character Voices in Burbank, California. Members of SAG-AFTRA's Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee will be joined by other union members, labour supporters, and fans of the video game industry. According to SAG-AFTRA, the strike is intended to secure fair treatment for members working in interactive media, ensuring they can continue to earn a living in their chosen profession. The organisation asserts that its members are being exploited by artificial intelligence, as video game companies have declined to offer a satisfactory agreement addressing the threats posed by AI. The decision to go on strike was made in late July, after negotiations with the bargaining group failed to yield an agreement on key issues, including rights and protections related to the industry's use of AI technologies. The SAG-AFTRA National Board unanimously approved the strike, authorising its chief negotiator to call for immediate action in order to protect the job security of voice actors, as the use of generative AI becomes more prevalent in the industry.