Studio ZA/UM Form Workers Alliance Represented by Independent Workers Union of Great Britain
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Key points
- The UK branch of Studio ZA/UM formed UK’s first recognized games industry union.
- The union is called the Workers Alliance, and is represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB).
- Studio ZA/UM created Disco Elysium and the upcoming Zero Parades: For Dead Spies.
The UK branch of video game studio ZA/UM formed the UK’s very first officially recognized games industry union; the union is called the Workers Alliance, and is represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The video game studio is responsible for the upcoming espionage RPG: Zero Parades: For Dead Spies alongside Disco Elysium, a title that released in 2019.
Within the social media post celebrating the union, IWBG states that they have “forged a path forward for game workers across the country to build their own workplace power.”
“The more I’ve worked here, the more I’ve realized that what we have is a unique makeup of people, and the union is a large effort to solidify that,’ UI/UX designer and union rep Declan Keane told GamesIndustry.Biz in an exclusive interview. The interview continues, with more input provided by Marketing Manager Poppy Ingham, who states that the union wants to preserve the uniqueness of the studio for years to come.
ZA/UM workforce saw around two dozen layoffs earlier last year; the layoffs followed the cancellation of expansions for Disco Elysium. The Workers’ Alliance secured an agreement for management to inform, consult, and negotiate on key issues such as working hours, pay, and pension. The union hopes to lead the industry by example as layoffs become widerspread.
