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Game Developers Unionize?

Posted by Zonk on from the power-to-the-pixel-pushers dept.

Gamasutra.com has a look at the reasons, both pro and con, for unionization of the folks behind the entertainment software industry. From the article: "Many industry observers see close parallels between the gripes of today's game developers and those of workers in the movie industry in the 1930s and '40s, particularly in the animation segment. The difference is that Hollywood unionized, and the game industry is still only talking about it."

3 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I don't know about Quebec by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 2, Informative
    Like everywhere in North America, you have to join the union whenever there is one. The work contract is passed between the employer and the union, not you.

    However, in Québec, it's much easier to implement an union than elsewhere in North-America (that's because we're mostly french, and have been thoroughly screwed in the past by english companies so we eventually started to elect governments that would listen to the people rather than rich fuckers).

  2. Re:Actually by Zerth · · Score: 3, Informative

    actually, nintendo started out making playing cards.

  3. Re:A couple cons by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    1) Working 90+ hours a week tends to stifle the ol' creativity too.

    2) You don't _have_ to join the union. SAG doesn't come after me for making home movies with your mom, and the UGW (United Game Workers) wouldn't care that you and your buddies w@nt t0 h@xx05 t3h l33test m0d 3v3rrrr, as long as you don't hire any union guys to work on your non-union set (read: parent's basement)