Sonic says, “Unionization is awesome.”

cross-posted from: https://radiation.party/post/41940

AEGIS-CWA will represent workers across departments including brand marketing, games as service, localization, marketing services, product development operations, product development, sales, quality assurance teams, more, becoming the largest multi-discipline video game union in the United States.

  • gerbler@lemmy.worldEnglish
    151·
    1 year ago

    This is great news but I’m always bummed that unions are on a per company basis. Until we have an industry wide union they’ll never have the power that the WGA or SAG have.

    Here’s hoping with this wave of unionising we can turn around and unionised the unions in 10 - 15 years.

    • zalack@kbin.social
      61·
      1 year ago

      You have to start somewhere. Most people are too scared of corporate retaliation, so it’s a situation where no-one wants to jump first and be left out in the cold if everyone else chickens out.

      In that sort of scenario, it takes one group deciding to take the risk that can help tip the next domino.

      • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        I agree in principle, but video game companies are notorious for mistreating their workforce. I don’t like government backed unions either, but I do think we should do something to address problems the industry has.

        I think unions are a fantastic solution to certain classes of problems, but I think they’re far from a silver bullet, and that they create new problems as well. Ideally we can solve these problems without resorting to creating more bureaucracy.

          • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            11·
            1 year ago

            AFAIK, gaming unions aren’t that at all. Other unions are, such as police and teachers unions, but private unions like this don’t usually have government backing.

            So while I fully support everyone’s right to organize into a union, ideally it wouldn’t be necessary to get decent working conditions, compensation, etc.

              • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                11·
                1 year ago

                That depends on local labor laws of course. Most areas have wrongful termination laws that penalize companies for firing merely for trying to form/join a union. They can still choose to fire, they’ll just have to compensate the employee for it.

                But yes, they should 100% be allowed to terminate anyone for any reason, though there may be penalties depending on the reason. They should also be allowed to terminate unionized workers, though that could risk an organized strike in addition to the applicable labor laws.