AFL-CIO Calls Game Developers to Organize

By Adam Bankhurst

The AFL-CIO, the largest union federation in the United States with 12.5 million members, has called on game developers to join unions.

The letter, written by Liz Shuler, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, about Kotaku, is "the first major public statement of the group on the organization of game developers".

It begins by citing the fact that "US video game sales in the United States increased by $ 43 billion in 2018, or about 3.6 times the box office's record box office sales." ;Film Industry".

These sales figures, she adds, are "built by legions of indefatigable game developers," who have "built new worlds, designed new challenges, and ushered in a new era of entertainment."

After that, Shuler points out that "the executives always boast of your work" and ask the question "what did you get back?

"As you create some of the most revolutionary products of our time," writes Shuler. "They pocket billions of dollars.While you fight against exhaustion and put your soul to the game, Bobby Kotick and Andrew Wilson are avenging themselves for" their "success."

"We've heard the painful stories of people ready to come forward, including a developer who went to the emergency room three times before leaving work." Rockstar Games developers recently told stories of critical moments that took months or even years to satisfy the management's scandalous demands, by offering a game that allowed their bosses to earn $ 725 million in its first three days. "

She calls for a moment of change and says it will only happen if "you gain influence by joining a strong union".

Shuler finishes by saying "Your fight is our fight, and we look forward to welcoming you to our family." If we keep caffeine in Santa Monica, tables in Chicago or coal mines in West Virginia, we deserve nothing less than the total value of our work ".

These talks with the unions were even more in the spotlight in 2018 and this year, with moments as tragic as Telltale Studios that closed and fired its staff without warning, Activision-Blizzard firing 800 employees with "record net income "and Rockstar Dan Houser, co-founder, discussing team members working" 100 hours a week ".

Adam Bankhurst is a journalist who firmly believes that game developers deserve nothing less than the total value of their work. You can follow him on Twitter @ AdamBankhurst.