Game Workers Unite UK rebrands to IWGB Game Workers

Original story: The UK branch of international trade union Game Workers Unite has rebranded to IWGB Game Workers.

The organisation made the announcement on Twitter, saying the name change follows a decision made during its AGM earlier this year, in an attempt to "update [its] image." IWGB Game Workers added that it's currently working on a new logo to go alongside its new name.

This change appears related to internal disputes that emerged in June between Game Workers Unite International and some its local branches. Back then, a former chair of the communications committee left the organisation amid allegations of "exclusionary behaviour and bullying."

Game Workers Unite International later apologised for the harm "caused by [its] members" and dissolved the communications committee. At the time, the UK branch said on Twitter that it would provide a separate response, adding that it was "planning to submit a motion at [its] upcoming AGM to allow members to discuss and vote on separating from GWU International."

This separation now seems to be confirmed. The last tweet from Game Workers Unite's account was actually back in June, asking members to be patient as the organisation was finalising its restructuring process and establishing a new communications committee.

Update: In a statement shared with GamesIndustry.biz, IWGB Game Workers confirmed the change was meant to avoid "unnecessary confusion" as its previous name (Game Workers Unite UK) was too close to Game Workers Unite International, which it's now officially separated from.

"In the course of GWU International's internal dispute earlier this year we realised that our name and branding being so similar to that of the international group was causing a lot of unnecessary confusion," said IWGB Game Workers comms officer Jess Hyland. "Bystanders thought they were us, that we were them, that their officials had power in our union and vice versa, and it was honestly a bit of a mess.

"Given that we're a legally recognised and regulated entity as part of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain trade union, we took a decision at our AGM earlier this year that we should align our name and branding more closely with IWGB instead and to clarify that we are a separate organisation to GWU, which is more of a loosely-affilated group of activists who we will work with now and then. We're in the process of developing a new visual identity for the branch to accompany the new name, which we're hoping to be able to share publicly soon."