SAG-AFTRA Strikes League Of Legends Due To “Secret” Shell Company

SAG-AFTRA is striking League of Legends, claiming that Formosa Inc.–the studio from which Riot Games sources its voiced content–is guilty of committing “a flagrant violation of labor law.” The union has responded by filing an unfair labor practice charge against Formosa. The strike is especially unique because previously, League Of Legends was declared exempt from the strike, allowing its guild-associated voice and motion-capture performers to continue their work on the game.

So what did Formosa do to upset the guild this much? SAG-AFTRA’s latest press release alleges that Formosa tried to cancel one of its struck games. (Currently, struck projects cannot proceed with voice acting or motion-capture work until the strike ends.) Formosa was allegedly told that canceling the game couldn’t be done, and–according to SAG-AFTRA–got around this obstacle by quietly transferring the game to a shell company before proceeding to send out casting notices, which were specifically seeking non-union talent.

“The unilateral and surreptitious transfer of union work to a ‘non-union’ shell company is an impermissible and appalling attempt to evade a strike action and destroy performers’ rights under labor law,” the guild said via a statement released on its website. “In light of Formosa’s unfair labor practices, SAG-AFTRA’s National Executive Director, with the advice and consent of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, has called a strike of League of Legends, one of the company’s most high-profile games. SAG-AFTRA members must immediately cease providing covered services to League of Legends and the game will be updated on the union’s search function as a struck game.”

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