Unionization movement amongst gaming employees

[Stumplicker]

Fixed.

Yeah I shoulda just said software development from the get-go. Not even my friend at Microsoft was always on a game on his projects. One of them was UI for Xbox One's streaming apps, which I guess is kind of gaming but not really.

Ahhhh, Digipen. They aren't quite "across" the street anymore, and they've expanded into so much more than "just" R.T.I.S. degrees.

You sound like you're from the area. My knowledge is a lot outdated for them. They weren't even accredited yet when a couple of my friends were going there. But yeah..they're like...right just there by the Microsoft Campus. Anyways, yeah, in this case, unions good. Software development in general could use some. I had another friend who moved with his company to Indianapolis, and they shut the doors within a month of convincing like 80 people to move across the country with them. A union wouldn't necessarily have helped that situation, but man, that sucked, so I figured I'd share it.

[Gelston]

... and it's a problem with that industry. Companies aren't expected to keep people on the payroll indefinitely even in a unionized environment. Unions step in, put laid off workers on the books, and find them some place to go. It's not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than just being shown the door.

Nah... I think most of the big companies would just move their dev out of country. Brand new people get dropped. Sucks, but it builds their resume. Get a few years in the industry and you get to be one of the guys that stays. Problem with the first guy's example though, a Union wouldn't have stopped any of that... Because the entire company folded. He also only had 2 years experience.

You do a project, you do well, you get a new job after it is over, but your resume looks a little better.

[Parkbandit]

... and it's a problem with that industry. Companies aren't expected to keep people on the payroll indefinitely even in a unionized environment. Unions step in, put laid off workers on the books, and find them some place to go. It's not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than just being shown the door.

I've never held a job in 40 years that had "job security". It's the nature of asking someone else to hire you. Things change.

You want job security? Be your own boss and start your own business. That's the only way you should be granted job security.

[Archigeek]

I've never held a job in 40 years that had "job security". It's the nature of asking someone else to hire you. Things change.

You want job security? Be your own boss and start your own business. That's the only way you should be granted job security.

I'd say it's relative. I'm in a very cyclical industry, and it's not hard to get laid off, but right now, I can see down the pipeline, and reasonably predict that I've got work to do for at least the next 2 years. That's the high end of job security in my business.

I think the example given in the article is appropriate to the issue of creative work that's driven by very large projects: the Screen Actor's Guild.

[Parkbandit]

I'd say it's relative. I'm in a very cyclical industry, and it's not hard to get laid off, but right now, I can see down the pipeline, and reasonably predict that I've got work to do for at least the next 2 years. That's the high end of job security in my business.

I think the example given in the article is appropriate to the issue of creative work that's driven by very large projects: the Screen Actor's Guild.

I don't believe gaming industry or any other industry should be forced to unionize.

The only real beneficiary of unions are shitty employees.

[Taernath]

Nah... I think most of the big companies would just move their dev out of country. Brand new people get dropped. Sucks, but it builds their resume. Get a few years in the industry and you get to be one of the guys that stays. Problem with the first guy's example though, a Union wouldn't have stopped any of that... Because the entire company folded. He also only had 2 years experience.

You do a project, you do well, you get a new job after it is over, but your resume looks a little better.

My understanding is there are a lot of issues with offsite/overseas dev, but I'm not in that industry so I can't say for certain. As far as the things he was complaining about (health issues, layoffs, scheduling), those are literally what unions would be fighting for.

I've never held a job in 40 years that had "job security". It's the nature of asking someone else to hire you. Things change.

You want job security? Be your own boss and start your own business. That's the only way you should be granted job security.

I take it tub installers never organized? I could salt for you.

[Methais]

My understanding is there are a lot of issues with offsite/overseas dev, but I'm not in that industry so I can't say for certain..

If you stand in front of a mirror and say "time4fun" 3 times, she'll show up with a PhD in game development and 10+ years experience specifically working with offsite/overseas dev and will fill you in.

[mgoddess]

You sound like you're from the area. My knowledge is a lot outdated for them. They weren't even accredited yet when a couple of my friends were going there. But yeah..they're like...right just there by the Microsoft Campus. Anyways, yeah, in this case, unions good. Software development in general could use some. I had another friend who moved with his company to Indianapolis, and they shut the doors within a month of convincing like 80 people to move across the country with them. A union wouldn't necessarily have helped that situation, but man, that sucked, so I figured I'd share it.

Lived in the area 2001-2005, when they were in the Nintendo space.... lived, again, in the area 2015-2018, they've got their own space now, 3x-at-least the space they used to, roughly 3 miles northwest of the old space. Slightly farther away from a 7-Eleven, but they've got their own cafeteria now, so I'm sure it's perfectly fine.

[Archigeek]

I don't believe gaming industry or any other industry should be forced to unionize.

The only real beneficiary of unions are shitty employees.

I'm not suggesting one way or the other, just saying that SAG is a decent enough comparison. The industries have a lot in common.

[Gelston]

My understanding is there are a lot of issues with offsite/overseas dev, but I'm not in that industry so I can't say for certain. As far as the things he was complaining about (health issues, layoffs, scheduling), those are literally what unions would be fighting for.



I take it tub installers never organized? I could salt for you.

What issues? A lot of extremely popular and well done games are coming from overseas, tbh. Making our stuff look like shit. The Witcher franchise is a prime example. Hell, my favorite series, Total War, is made in Britain. They have a new shop, CA Sofia, that does the DLC for them. With many, if not most, sales occuring digitally now, I don't think there is a reason for dev to stay here if unionization is forced upon them.