The Communications Workers of America are publicizing another union campaign at a video game studio.
The labor giant, which also represents workers in news, public service and higher education, among others, announced Friday that employees at independent art and video game studio Tender Claws have filed for union representation with the National Labor Relations Board. , which will be represented. According to the union, management has agreed to voluntarily recognize workers if an acceptable agreement is reached between the parties. Thirteen employees are involved in the organization’s efforts in non-contractual roles, including writers, producers, developers, artists, engineers, and QA testers. The group that tries to reunite calls itself the “Gentle Claw Human Union”.
“Unfortunately, the video game industry is experiencing a high turnover rate. Studios are constantly losing talent as workers seek better conditions and benefits. Tender Claws has been a special community for us, but we want it to be a workplace where we can thrive for the long term,” Robin Lobuglio, game programmer at Tender Claws, said in a statement. “Connecting is a way to have the same voice in decisions that affect us.”
In a statement, Tender Claws co-founders Danny Cannizzaro and Samantha Gorman said their studios could not operate “without the creativity, talent and dedication of our employees”. They added: “We’ve worked for years to make Tender Claws a supportive place to work where employees have the flexibility to pursue their own artistic and business ventures, learn new skills and get back together again. The Tender Claws Human Union is sure to have a positive impact both inside and outside our walls, and we are excited to recognize and work with the union, collaborating to make Tender Claws the best possible work environment.”
The announcement comes just three days after the CWA revealed it was trying to arrange a second job at video game holding company Activision Blizzard. After launching a concerted effort to organize gaming and digital workers in 2020, the labor organization secured certified unions at independent studio Vodeo Games and Raven Software, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard.
Los Angeles-based Tender Claws produces games and experiences (such as immersive theater), including past projects Virtual virtual reality, storm s under the gifts; The studio was a 2020 Emmy finalist for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media and a finalist for XR Game of the Year at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. Their titles appeared at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and 2019.
Tender Claws 3-D artist Liz Walker added in a statement about the union effort: “The video game industry is experiencing a dynamic where the majority of the people who work on these games have decision making. This power imbalance can lead to problems such as long shrinkage times, which negatively impact the lives of workers.” He continued, “Tender Claws and the gaming industry as a whole need unions so workers can come to the table to collectively resolve these issues.”
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
