AFM, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters & the Hollywood Basic Crafts, WGAE, and WGAW Issue Joint Statement of Solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike

Today, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 40 (IBEW), International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 399 (IBT), Laborers International Union of North America Local 724 (LiUNA!), Operating Plasterers & Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) Local 755, United Association Plumbers Local 78 (UA), Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) issued the following joint statement of solidarity with striking members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) who work on video games:

"For more than 18 months, the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee has worked in good faith to reach a deal on a new contract with 10 video game producing companies. Despite the committee's efforts, these employers - who generate billions of dollars in annual profit from 3.2 billion active gamers worldwide - failed to recognize the rights of workers to be protected against the unconstrained rise of artificial intelligence. These workers have made the difficult choice to strike as they fight for basic AI protections, and we stand with them in solidarity. Our unions understand the need to fight back against the threat of AI. We call on these video game companies to acknowledge the contributions of these performers, and to work toward a future where their work is valued, and their labor cannot be replaced by technology."