Equity today held a rally to show solidarity with members of sister union SAG-AFTRA, who are on strike against major video games companies in the US.
The rally is part of Equity’s Game On! (#EquityGameOn) campaign to set the standard for decent pay and conditions for performers working in video games. It took place at the Barbican centre, where UKIE – aka UK Interactive Entertainment, the trade association representing video game companies in the UK – were holding their AGM. The AGM is open to all UKIE members and their staff, which includes 421 games company members from independent to major companies, the latter including Electronic Arts (games include FIFA/FC, The Sims, Battlefield), Ubisoft (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry), and Microsoft (Minecraft, Call of Duty, Candy Crush).
Equity has been trying to engage with UKIE and their members to bring about union agreements in video games and improve pay, terms and conditions for performers working in the industry. Many of the issues experienced by SAG-AFTRA members are shared by Equity members, such as the threat of artificial intelligence. However, unlike in the US, there is no collectively bargained agreement in the UK with video games companies to set union-agreed minimum rates and pay performers fairly.
Equity members wore ‘SAG-AFTRA on strike’ t-shirts, held placards reading ‘Union contracts in gaming NOW!’ and ‘Equity stands in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA’. Earlier that morning, Equity also leafletted UKIE members arriving at the AGM, chatted to them about the benefits of implementing union contracts, alongside fair pay for performers working in video games, consent and proper remuneration around the use of artificial intelligence, safe workplaces, and the overuse of NDAs.
We’re at a pivotal moment. We have to stick together as performers and demand that if companies are in receipt of tax relief, they must engage with unions, agents and representatives.
John Barclay, Equity Assistant General Secretary for Recorded Media.
John Barclay, Equity Assistant General Secretary for Recorded Media, says: “Today’s action is the first time we’ve directly lobbied the games industry in this way.
“We are in solidarity with our colleagues in America who are on strike over the use of AI to manipulate your voice, your image and your likeness. We’ve always supported the games industry, but we need to change their direction. The market value last year was £7.82 billion, and it’s projected to grow - yet they can’t pay performers properly.
“Last year, the games industry took £220m of tax relief. But we’ve seen pay decline, poor health and safety practices both in voiceovers and motion and performance capture, poor employment practices, and sometimes toxic workplaces. There’s a lack of transparency about what they want performers to do, not sharing the names of games, character details and asking people to sign NDAs to even audition.
“We’re at a pivotal moment. We have to stick together as performers and demand that if companies are in receipt of tax relief, they must engage with unions, agents and representatives.”
David John, voice actor and Equity Audio Councillor (representing audio performers on the union’s governing body made up of elected members), said: “We’re here today in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA and our comrades over the pond who are out on strike. And secondly, we’re demanding a collectively bargained agreement in the games industry in the UK.
“There’s been a lot of anti-trade union rhetoric, but we hope that will change with the new government. We’re pushing for everything we can get. We’re growing in strength and growing in members, so now is the time to join.
“Our members contribute an integral part of the games experience. Without motion capture, performance capture and audio actors voicing the characters, the games will not work. So now is the time to respect these workers, get round the table - in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA - and get talking about a collectively bargained agreement.”
Game On!
The solidarity rally comes after Equity published recommended minimum rates for the payment of video game performers last month – a first for the union – alongside Best Practice for Video Game Companies and Working as a Video Game Performer guides, comprising a suite of resources to facilitate both video game companies and performers to improve working conditions in the industry.
Systemic low pay for performers working in video games is a problem in the UK, where pay has stagnated and not kept up with the rate of inflation. Crucially, it is significantly lower than in the United States and Canada, despite Equity members being engaged by the same global companies.
This is despite the UK video games industry being worth almost £8bn and in receipt of government tax breaks worth almost £200m in 2022. The lack of collective agreements in this space also stands in stark contrast to film and TV where union bargaining is the norm – over 90% of British film and TV drama are made on an Equity agreement.
Meanwhile, the guides aim to combat common issues for performers working in video games. These include:
- The overuse of NDAs
- Safety during motion and performance capture
- Avoiding harmful vocal stress
- Lack of notice for explicit/intimate scenes and the need for closed sets during recording
- Artificial intelligence
Equity members can also join the union’s Video Games Network to take part in the Game On! campaign and organise for better pay, terms and conditions in the industry.
Join our Video Games Network
