The Screen Actors Guild's National Executive Committee has voted to reject a new agreement with electronic game publishers. Snip from SAG press release, in which CEO Greg Hessinger is quoted as saying that the union will "now explore [its] options."
SAG's current three-year Interactive contract expired on May 13, 2005. SAG's National Executive Committee had been designated by the Guild national board to consider the tentative agreement, which was reached on June 8. The agreement had been jointly negotiated with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). AFTRA's National Administrative Committee approved the deal last week, and it will go into effect for their members on July 1, 2005. (…)
Negotiations on new Interactive Media Agreements began between the unions and video game companies in February 2005, before breaking off on May 13 when a strike authorization vote was called. Before the authorization vote tally was concluded on June 8, a tentative agreement between the producers and unions was reached. That tentative agreement would have covered the next three-and-a-half years, and included a 36 percent increase in minimum pay over the term as well as increases in benefit contributions. However, the producers refused the unions' demands for implementation of a residual model that would allow actors to share in the enormous revenues generated by the video games they perform in.
Previously: SAG/AFTRA video game strike on the way for Hollywood?, Strike Looms Against Game Makers, Game biz coders want fatter paychecks, too
