Today, some 30+ workers a Paizo, the publisher of the Pathfinder and Starfinder RPG, announced plans to form a union. They have formed the United Paizo Workers union (UPW), with the Communication Workers of America’s CODE-CWA project. This is one of the first unions attempting to be formed in the tabletop industry. The only other tabletop-related union of note is probably the Kickstarter United union formed last year.
The press release from the UPW talk about their love of the company, yet how they also have complaints with the work environment:
“However, despite this success, Paizo’s workers are underpaid for their labor, required to live in one of the most expensive cities in the United States, and subjected to untenable crunch conditions on a regular basis.”
They also brought up the recent hostile work environment and racist anti-LGBTQ executive board allegations that came to light a few weeks ago.
It should be noted that the Paizo workers have not actually formed a union yet and are asking Paizo to recognize them. I am not an expert in unionization, but I believe some kind of vote will be required from the majority of Paizo workers to be officially recognized as a union (feel free to post in the comments if you know the official steps that will need to be taken).
My friend works in an union factory and has dues removed from his check every week. He is still required to do mandatory overtime, the vac/abs system is trash, and isn’t able to support his family on his own wages; his wife works and they live with his mom. Unions are basically useless today. They now just exist to prop themselves up not support their members. Compare the union bosses houses to their members.
While Paizo employees are feel to attempt unionization, white-collar nerds unionizing is a joke, and they’ll probably end up worse off. I always wonder why people in these industries need to unionize and don’t just strike or request things themselves. (They could have tried, but I haven’t seen an article make this claim.)
Also telling a company where to locate just screams entitlement to me.
You are misinformed about unions. Do some research. CWA has been around for a long time, and for good reason.
Remember who writes and signs the paycheck. No one is forced to work there, there are other companies are they can start their own. A Union rep swoons and makes lots of promises and just takes a % of salary if the union is voted in. There still is no guarantee of job protection nor benefits, especially if the management has none of this either. Going Union is a huge distraction for a small company and it harm the company’s survival and then everyone is out of a job.
Send your resumes out if you feel you are talented and not appreciated and when you get a good offer, ask your current job for a counter offer if you wish to stay.
You are misinformed about unions. Do some research. CWA has been around for a long time, and for good reason
Tony M., The Communications Workers of America kicked off their Campaign to Organize Digital Employees in January of 2020. The goal was to begin organizing employees in the digital workplace, but also those in the gaming industry and beyond. In order to form a union, 30% of the employees must show interest by signing cards or a petition wanting a union. At that point, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will conduct an election. If 50% + 1 of the employees agree, the NLRB will certify the union (UPW) as their representative for collective bargaining. Hope this helps.