Game Workers Unite UK becomes the country's first games industry union

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain has become the first trade union to represent members of the games industry. The UK chapter of Game Workers Unite, the international pro-union activist group, has joined the IWGB as its games industry branch and will hold its first meeting this weekend.

Game Workers Unite UK describes itself as a “worker-led, democratic organisation that represents and advocates for UK game workers”. The union’s goals include ending excessive and unpaid overtime, improving diversity and inclusion, supporting harassed workers and ensuring a steady living wage for everyone.

GAME WORKERS UNITE UK IS NOW A LEGAL TRADE UNIONWe are proud to announce that we have become a branch of @IWGBunion - a small, dynamic and effective trade union.Are you a worker and are worried you will be exploited by the games industry✊🏻✊🏿✊🎮JOIN: https://t.co/ENyNOreC4F pic.twitter.com/1e00eSmxrZDecember 14, 2018

The discussion of crunch during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2 and the reported "bro culture" at Riot are just two of the high profile cases that have lead to calls for developers to unionise.

The branch is open to current, former and prospective workers, which also includes contract, agency and casual workers. It is signing members up from today, and the first meeting—where union roles will be assigned and the constitution ratified—will take place on Sunday in London.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.