A Letter to CODE-CWA from the chair of IWGB Game Workers' Union
My name is Spring McParlinJones, I'm the chair of the IWGB Game Workers’ union in the UK. Today is the first day of our trial against Rockstar, in which 31 union members are defending their right to organise after being fired at the end of last year in what we believe was a flagrant case of union-busting. At the IWGB, we’ve been closely following your Blizzard organising drive. The historic contract deal announced yesterday is a massive victory for workers in the US and, of course, globally. We want to congratulate you on that huge success and send solidarity.
We consider our fight at Rockstar to be of a similar magnitude. Rockstar is the largest Games Employer in the UK, it holds the world's most valuable gaming IP through ownership of the GTA franchise, and consequently it holds massive influence over the state of employment conditions in the sector. We have been organising at Rockstar for a number of years now and are currently working through a recognition agreement. This case directly affects our organising there because it protects our ability to operate and builds confidence for what comes next. We also know that victory here will be a real boost to organising momentum across the sector, which is at present very under-unionised.
Unfortunately, as a small independent union, we need support to win this fight. Our resources to sustain this legal challenge are minimal compared to a multinational company of the size of Take-Two. The IWGB has always existed to fight for workers, particularly those who are isolated, in sectors that have traditionally struggled to unionise, and who face harassment for exercising their rights. Today, we are launching our crowdfunding campaign to help fight the case. The link to the fundraiser is here:
A Letter to CODE-CWA from the chair of IWGB Game Workers' Union
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