Created Equal: Organized labor could level up the video game industry

Video games are a huge part of American culture and a largely profitable industry. But even as the industry booms, many workers have very little job security and work unimaginable hours. These circumstances have led to new efforts to unionize these workers to give them stronger workplace protections.

Nicole Carpenter, a senior reporter at Polygon who covers labor issues in the games industry, and Johanna Weststar, an associate professor at Western University, joined Created Equal to discuss the effects of unionization on the video game industry. 

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Weststar described that as the tech sector emerged, many workers believed that unions were not needed because they were seen as having individual bargaining power. But, as the industry grew, companies failed to update their structure and culture. This has resulted in an industry that routinely overworks employees, subjects them to arbitrary managerial decisions and offers very little job security.

Carpenter explained that unionization would positively affect working conditions by helping workers ensure that they are fairly compensated, giving workers power to negotiate severance packages by increasing workplace camaraderie and worker bargaining power within the games industry, and by increasing financial transparency.

Weststar also described that although unionization may not immediately lead to an increase in wages and job security, it will lay the groundwork for a more fair video games industry.

“A union isn’t going to change how this industry is structured, but it will increase openness, it will increase dialogue, it will smooth out some of the rough edges, it will put some rules in place that everyone can understand and abide by, it may help to put some extra protections in, and, if it can be afforded, maybe wages go up,” Weststar said.

Guests: 

• Nicole Carpenter is a senior reporter at Polygon, who covers labor issues in the games industry, as well as the business and culture of games.
• Johanna Weststar is an Associate Professor of management and organizational studies at Western University in Ontario, Canada, whose primary research area is the video game industry.

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.