SAG-AFTRA waiver agreements let striking performers work with students and game jams

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SAG-AFTRA has created a new Waiver Agreement for students and game jam developers allowing them to work with union performers despite ongoing strike action.

The trade union is still at odds with publishers over “critical” AI protections, having first started striking in July 2024.

Its waiver gives students the opportunity to work with union performers to satisfy course requirements in game development. However, the project must be recorded entirely in the US and must be owned by the student.

For developers taking part in a game jam, any material used cannot be recorded prior to the start of the event.

Signing up

The waivers join the tiered-budget, interim and interactive localisation agreements that performers can work under during the strike.

According to SAG-AFTRA, more than 180 games have been signed to these agreements to date.

“With these new agreements, SAG-AFTRA can help support game developers at all levels who want to work with union talent and who want to learn more about producing video games under a union contract,” said SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

“Plus, our members are passionate about this industry and they want to be able to participate in these types of projects where the future of video games is being shaped.”