In a seminal victory for the video game industry's labor movement, the employees at Sega of America have won their bid to unionize, marking a momentous milestone in the escalating campaign for improved working conditions, fair pay, as well as proper employee representation in the industry. The decision, following a year-long campaign spearheaded by the Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS-CWA), was greeted with jubilant enthusiasm as the workforce at one of gaming's iconic companies voted "yes" to form their first union.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the U.S. government agency responsible for enforcing labor laws, counted the mail-in votes on Monday, with a significant 91 votes for the union out of 117 counted, and only 26 against, underlining the collective desire for change. AEGIS, now partnered with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), will represent over 200 workers in diverse departments across the company. This diversity makes AEGIS-CWA the largest multi-department union of organized workers in the entire gaming industry.
The union encompasses various departments such as brand marketing, games as a service, localization, marketing services, product development, sales, and quality assurance. It's significant to note that Sega of America is the first company to form a union that spans across multiple departments, showcasing a major shift in the industry landscape. Previously, unionization efforts in the gaming industry were predominantly led by QA workers and indie studios. However, Sega's decision to form a union might just inspire other departments and companies to follow suit.
