CD Projekt Red devs unionize in the hopes of “improving their workplace” after third set of layoffs in three months
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Developers at CD Projekt Red have unionized in response to three waves of repeated layoffs, teaming up with other Polish game developers to form the Polish Gamedev Workers Union.The new union is an independent section ofInicjatywa Pracownicza(OZZ IP), otherwise known as the Polish Trade Union Workers Initiative - a group that represents Polish workers across a wide range of industries (via Eurogamer).
The Polish Gamedev Workers Union was formed in response to layoffs at CD Projekt Red. According to theUnion’s website: “We started talking about unionizing after the 2023 wave of layoffs when 9% of Reds (that is roughly 100 people) were let go. This event created a tremendous amount of stress and insecurity, affecting our mental health and leading to the creation of this union in response.”
To this end, the Polish Gamedev Workers Union is intended to “[give] workers bargaining power and a unified voice for fair working conditions and transparency of company operations… Given the significant changes that CD Projekt is undergoing, we want the employees’ voices to be directly heard when making decisions that affect all of us.“These efforts to unionize follow three waves of layoffs at CD Projekt Red over the past three months. Back in May,29 employees lost their jobsatThe Molassas Flood, a studio owned by CD Projekt Red. Since then, the developer made 30 more layoffs,dissolving the teambehindGwent:The WitcherCard Game. Most recently, the studiolaid off a further 100 peoplewith executives claiming that this came as a result of “several deep transformations” within the company.Inan interviewwith Polish Gamedev Workers Union founders Lev Ki and Paweł Myszka, the pair said they “haven’t had any response” from management at CD Projekt Red. However, the union has submitted all of the necessary legal documentation, meaning that, as its website states, the organization “has legal power”.
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An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.
A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.
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