Behold, at the illustrious Game Developer’s Conference, the unveiling of the inaugural direct-join video game workers union has come to pass. Known by the distinguished moniker of United Videogame Workers, this union stands in alliance with the esteemed Communication Workers of America, extending its welcome to all denizens of the game industry. Whether one be freelance or full-time, and regardless of the attendance of colleagues, the doors of this union swing wide open.
In the realm of worker rights, the UVW-CWA, as it is dubbed in shorthand, emerges as a stalwart guardian. Tom Smith, the venerable Senior Director of Organizing at CWA, proclaims, “The creation of this union was not done in isolation; it’s a cumulative effort by the thousands of video game workers who have been fighting for years to redefine what it means to stand together and reclaim power in one of the largest and highest-grossing industries on the globe.” The valorous workers have joined hands, with a bold vision to empower the creators behind the games we hold dear.
Amidst swirling tumult within the industry, this union pledges to champion job security, citing a distressing tally of over 10,500 jobs lost in 2025 and a further 14,600 in the subsequent year. A lamentable note is struck as more than 30 studios find themselves bereft of their staff prior to closure by their parent corporations.
Let the clarion call of the union’s mission echo through the annals of time, “Our mission is to take back our lives, our labor, and our passion from those who treat us like replaceable cogs.” A clarion call for nurturing talent and forging a lasting path rather than a transient post.
Noble and resolute, the UVW-CWA emerges as a beacon of hope in tumultuous waters, offering the stalwart souls who craft our beloved games a modicum of safety and assurance. It stands as a peer to other unions of its ilk, including the famed Alphabet Workers Union-CWA, in embracing a direct-join model.
For those artisans toiling in the video game vineyards of the United States or Canada, harboring a spark of interest in joining this august union, the path to enlightenment lies but a click away: learn more here.
