IWGB Game Workers launches first manifesto

The IWGB Game Workers union has published its first manifesto, calling for improvements in pay, working hours, and job security for UK-based video game developers.

The key initiatives of the IWGB Game Worker's manifesto include:

• Union recognition: Have all members recognised by their employer
• Working hours and overtime: End reliance on overtime, ensure that "no overtime" rules cannot be enforced, voluntary overtime is fairly compensated, introduce a four-day work week, guarantee mental health days as part of sick leave
• Compensation: Mandate annual pay increases, improve baseline pay for all industry workers, equitable shares of studio profits, end the gender pay gap, equal parental leave, receive residuals and royalties, improve pension schemes
• Accountability and transparency: Hold C-suite executives accountable in event of mergers, acquisitions, studio closures, and redundancies, mandate salary transparency, demand "open book" accounting for studio finances
• Job security: Better contractual protections, ensure clearly laid out redundancy processes, improve redundancy packages, campaign for AI regulations, end abuse of fixed-term contracts
• Equity and inclusion: Ensure universal accessible working options, improve disability, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, and mental health support, ensure policies for handling sexual misconduct, harassment, and bullying are followed, endorse inclusive language guidelines, compulsory training in DEI best practices
• Training and education: Enhance learning and development schemes, mandate sexual misconduct and antitrust training for C-suite executives and management
• Contractual terms: Remove unreasonable non-compete and non-disparagement clauses, guarantee credits, guarantee ownership of personal side projects

"The games industry has reached a tipping point," said IWGB chair Austin Kelmore. "After another year of battling this relentless onslaught of layoffs, workers are realising that urgently needs to change, and are unionising on a scale never seen before.

"The people who choose to work in the games sector are some of the most passionate, creative, dedicated people you'll ever meet, and studio bosses rely on that passion to exploit us without fair pay, conditions, or job security."

Kelmore continued: "Together, we can make sure the game industry's future looks very different. Stable work, fair pay, a balanced work schedule – all these are well within reach if we stand together to demand them in unison."

The union has seen a substantial spike in membership from December 2022 to December 2023 following continued layoffs and studio closures.