During the 2025 Games Development Conference this week, industry workers launched the United Videogame Workers union in partnership with the Communication Workers of America.
The UVW-CWA is the first direct-join union for developers in the US and Canada, meaning it does not represent a single workplace.
Both full-time and freelance workers across various disciplines can join, including those working in art, writing, design, QA, and programming.
Those affected by layoffs can also join, as well as workers who want to or are organising unions in their own workplace.
As detailed on its website, the union has listed the following demands from employers:
- Sustainable growth instead of short term boom and bust hiring cycles
- Advanced notice before layoffs
- Paid time off following layoffs
- Improved severance pay
- Extended health insurance for laid off workers
- Recall rights – those who are let go get priority when the company starts hiring again
- Worker control over decisions to use generative AI
Its first campaign addresses the ongoing industry layoffs, with the union noting that over 10,500 jobs were lost in 2023 followed by a further 14,600 last year. This comes after GDC’s State of the Game Industry report found that 41% of surveyed developers reported being affected by layoffs in 2024.
Members of UVW-CWA handed out a petition “demanding dignity and job security for all video game workers” during GDC this week, in addition to hosting panels, a rally, and a launch party, as reported by IGN.
“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,” said CWA senior director of organising Tom Smith.
“These workers are taking a bold stand, joining together to build power for the workers behind the games we all know and love.”
CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. added: “The formation of United Video Game Workers-CWA is an exciting new step in our union’s work to help video game workers build power in their industry.
“As video game studios have consolidated, the workers whose creativity, dedication, and skill bring the games to life have become more an afterthought. They are subject to endless cycles of layoffs and rehiring as corporate executives pursue short-term profits at the expense of a sustainable future.”
Last year, hundreds of workers at developers including Bethesda Game Studios and Activision Blizzard joined the CWA and unionsed.
The launch of UVW-CWA follows the ongoing battle being fought by SAG-AFTRA for over 160,000 video game actors against the use of AI.
In a recently released statement, the union said it was working to address “alarming loopholes” put forth by a bargaining group comprised of representatives from firms including Activision, EA, Insomnia Games, Take-Two Interactive, and WB Games.
