British film and TV actors say they are prepared to take industrial action over AI, voting 99% in favor of refusing digital scanning on set to ensure the protection of AI.
The suggestion vote was carried out by Equity, the UK’s performing arts and entertainment union, and the results were announced today (18 December) by general secretary Paul W. Fleming in London.
Turnout was 75%, with voters made up of 7,746 Equity members who work in film and television – actors, stunt performers and dancers who have been working on the Pact Equity deal since it was last negotiated in 2021.
Equity is currently negotiating an agreement with PACT, the industry body representing the majority of UK film and television production companies, to set minimum standards for pay and contract terms for performers working in the sector.
As this is an indicative vote, it is not binding and does not legally cover shareholders from taking industrial action that would require a statutory ballot.
Equity will now send a letter to Pact with its findings, demanding that it return to the negotiating table on more favorable terms regarding AI. If Pact refuses to specify the AI protections the union wants in the agreement, Equity will take a statutory vote on industrial action.
Equity argues that producers, content owners, and other third parties may not use performer data for AI training without their informed consent, and that Pact has not provided adequate contractual guarantees in this regard. Pact said equity requires protection for the future and such agreements are difficult when the future of the sector is so uncertain.
“Artificial intelligence is a generation-defining challenge, and for the first time in a generation, Equity’s film and television members have shown they are prepared to take industrial action,” said Secretary General Paul W. Fleming.
“Ninety percent of television and film are produced under these agreements. More than three-quarters of the artists working on these agreements are union members. This shows that workers are willing to significantly halt production if they don’t respect the agreements, and the terms of the contracts that have been eroded for decades are beginning to reverse.”
“US streamers and the Pact need to step back from the brink and respect this show of strength. We need proper AI protections that build on, not just replicate, those agreed upon after the SAG-AFTRA strike in the US more than two years ago.
“Labor believes this issue can be resolved through negotiations, but 18 months of negotiations have led to this stalemate. With a new AI proposal, significant movement on royalties, and an updated package of terms and conditions, Pact and allied producers will be able to turn this situation around. The ball will be in their court when we return to the table in January.”
A Pact spokesperson said, “The vast majority of productions do not scan the cast.” “Scanning has been used in some types of productions (such as those using SFX) for many years, long before new technologies such as generative AI were introduced. Performers are informed when a scan is being performed and why, but the most common purpose is for editorial purposes. Producers comply with legal requirements regarding the processing and storage of scans.”
“During recent negotiations, the agreement laid out Equity terms on AI that are consistent with those in place in other countries. Equity seeks forward-looking protections that go beyond established safeguards that are already proven to protect parties around the world.”
“Pact has assured Equity that it will keep the dialogue open as the situation develops, so that an informed discussion can take place.”
Adrian Wootton, chief executive of the British Film Board, added: “Today’s vote remains indicative and we will work with all stakeholders to find a fair and reasonable solution to this very complex issue as soon as possible.”
“We are all committed to developing fair and effective guardrails and provisions for the use of AI in film and television, and it is in everyone’s interest to exhaust all available options in negotiations. To that end, the British Film Commission will work with Pact and Equity with the aim of supporting an agreement that satisfies all parties.”
(Tag Translation) Artificial Intelligence
