RPG: Paizo Employees Unionize
More than 30 Paizo staff members have formed the United Paizo Workers union– the first union of its kind in the tabletop gaming industry.
Citing underpayment for their labor, untenable crunch conditions, and a host of other concerns, more than 30 staff from a variety of departments at Paizo have announced that they’ve formed a union. The United Paizo Workers formed in coordination with the Communication Workers of America and it’s the first of its kind in the tabletop RPG industry.
According to the letter announcing the new union, organizing efforts have been ongoing for a while. According to the official United Paizo Workers’ Twitter, they have gathered together a “strong majority of eligible employees,” to speak as one front, with one voice to call for change, action, and accountability.
Their letter is as follows:
Redmond, WA (October 14th, 2021) — Today, the workers at Paizo, Inc – publisher of the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games – are announcing their formation of the United Paizo Workers union (UPW), with the Communication Workers of America’s CODE-CWA project. This union is the first of its kind in the tabletop roleplaying games industry.
“Unions have helped build a stronger working class in America and I’m proud to stand with United Paizo Workers. I believe that when we all work together, we’re better for it. Unionization allows workers to have a seat at the table and ensures that our voices and concerns are being heard and addressed so that all of Paizo can move forward for a positive future.” –Shay Snow, Editor
“I love my job. I love my coworkers, and I love the company I work for. I get to sell a game that I love to a community that I love. I come from a pro-union family, and I believe that unionizing Paizo will be the best way to protect the people, company, and community that I love, for now and going forward into the future.” –Cosmo Eisele, Sales Manager
“My coworkers are amazing and so are the games we make together. I want Paizo to keep publishing Pathfinder and Starfinder content for years to come. This is my way of helping management improve our company culture, and by extension, the content we produce.” –Jenny Jarzabski, Starfinder Developer
“I proudly stand with my coworkers as we strive to help improve our workplace, and I believe the UPW will amplify our voices and assist with the changes we feel are necessary in making Paizo a more positive space for its employees.” –Logan Harper, Customer Service Representative
Paizo is one of the largest tabletop roleplaying publishers in the world, producing more than 10 hardcover books annually, along with numerous digital adventures and gaming accessories. Paizo also runs some of the most successful living campaigns in tabletop gaming history, with regular players in more than 36 countries.
But despite this success, Paizo’s workers cite underpayment for their labor, while living in one of the most expensive cities in the United States. They also report working in crunch conditions on a regular basis.
Efforts to organize by the Paizo workforce had been underway for some time. The sudden departures of several long-standing employees in September plus subsequent allegations of managerial impropriety by former Paizo employees throws the imbalance of their employer/employee relationship into stark relief.
Paizo workers reported uncovering a pattern of inconsistent hiring practices, pay inequity across the company, allegations of verbal abuse from executives and management, and allegations of harassment ignored or covered up by those at the top. These findings further galvanized the need for clearer policies and stronger employee protections to ensure that Paizo staff can feel secure in their employment.
Changes have been promised, internally and externally, by the executive team. But the only way to ensure that workers’ voices are heard is collective action. In this spirit, the workers of Paizo have united to push for real changes at the company. The UPW is committed to advocating on behalf of all staffers, and invites all eligible Paizo employees to join in the push for better, more sustainable working conditions.
The union requests the broad support of the tabletop community in urging Paizo management to voluntarily recognize the United Paizo Workers, and to negotiate in good faith with the union so that both may build a better workplace together.
For more information, please contact the Organizing Committee at [email protected]
