AFL-CIO Treasurer Thinks Game Developers Are Losing Out
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is urging game developers to unionize in the wake of companies like Activision laying off employees as they continue to generate record profits.
“They get rich. They get notoriety. They get to be crowned visionaries and regarded as pioneers,” said AFL-CIO treasurer Liz Shuler. “What do you get? Outrageous hours and inadequate paychecks. Stressful, toxic work conditions that push you to your physical and mental limits. The fear that asking for better means risking your dream job.
“We’ve heard the painful stories of those willing to come forward, including one developer who visited the emergency room three times before taking off from work,” she added. “Developers at Rockstar Games recently shared stories of crunch time that lasted for months and even years in order to satisfy outrageous demands from management, delivering a game that banked their bosses $725 million in its first three days.”
“While you’re putting in crunch time, your bosses are ringing the opening bell on Wall Street,” she argued. “While you’re creating some of the most groundbreaking products of our time, they’re pocketing billions. While you’re fighting through exhaustion and putting your soul into a game, Bobby Kotick and Andrew Wilson are toasting to ‘their’ success.”