United Videogame Workers: A New Era for Industry Professionals
A new chapter has begun for professionals in the gaming industry with the launch of United Videogame Workers. This initiative, reported by Variety, emerges as a collaborative effort backed by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). The union aims to empower those who have felt marginalized within the industry, including laid-off employees, contractors, and freelancers.
The mission statement of United Videogame Workers encapsulates a powerful vision: to “take back our lives, our labour and our passion” from the higher-ups who often overlook the contributions of their workforce. This sentiment resonates deeply among the thousands of video game workers who have long sought to redefine their roles and reclaim their power in one of the world’s most lucrative industries.
Tom Smith, the CWA’s senior director of organizing, emphasized the collective nature of this movement. “The creation of this union was not done in isolation; it’s a cumulative effort by the thousands of video game workers who have been fighting for years,” he stated. “These workers are taking a bold stand, joining together to build power for the workers behind the games we all know and love.”
Adding to this sentiment, CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. remarked on the significance of this new union. “The formation of United Video Game Workers-CWA is an exciting next step in our union’s work to help video game workers build power in their industry,” he noted. He highlighted the troubling trend of consolidation within video game studios, which has often led to the sidelining of the very individuals whose creativity and dedication breathe life into the games. “As corporate executives pursue short-term profits, these workers have become more of an afterthought, subjected to endless cycles of layoffs and rehiring,” Cummings Jr. explained.
The establishment of United Videogame Workers marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue about labor rights within the gaming sector, signaling a commitment to fostering a more equitable and sustainable future for all those involved in creating the games that captivate audiences worldwide.
