The union essentially agreed to that deal with two slight modifications. It wanted the bump to start on the first session instead of the second which would amount to an automatic $50 pay increase on top of the 9% pay hike the companies had offered. But thats not the strike issue. The strike was called because the union wanted to call this bonus a buyout of residuals instead of what the companies wanted to call it additional compensation.
The companies, however, refused to call it a residuals buyout, saying that to do so would be fundamentally unfair to the hundreds of animators and designers who develop the games but receive no residuals at all buyout or otherwise. Perhaps of equal concern to the companies is that once they start calling a bonus a residuals buyout, the union may start insisting on actual residuals payments the next time around.
In the lead up to the strike, Scott Witlin, the companies chief negotiator, told Deadline that It would be unfortunate for SAG-AFTRA to take its members out on strike over terminology and not money.