tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post114667232714022292..comments2023-11-02T15:47:29.001+00:00Comments on particleblog: Why the Games Industry Needs a UnionTadhghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14763670950211297013noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1153144789413180312006-07-17T13:59:00.000+00:002006-07-17T13:59:00.000+00:00I disagree. In our industry where there are territ...I disagree. <BR/><BR/>In our industry where there are territory based legislations that mandate no overtime pay, and all kinds of abuse stories, how can you say there is no need for any kind of union type organisation.<BR/><BR/>Abusive unions are typically those that represent manual labour or low skilled employees that lack the ability to negotiate for themselves and only obtain a bargaining position by aggregating. We are not the case, a writer style union sounds like the way to go. There may come a time where we'll have hollywood style striking with actors and directors etc but somehow I don't think so. This is an industry where workplace bargaining occurs at the individual level. <BR/><BR/>We just need an organisation that enforces some baseline standards to begin with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1150449603090242332006-06-16T09:20:00.000+00:002006-06-16T09:20:00.000+00:00I'm also fearful of unionization. Unions all start...I'm also fearful of unionization. Unions all start in different ways over different gievances, but over time they feature-creep and transform into an over-arching philosophy far awa yfrom the original reason teh union was created... and once a union is formed, it's basically impossible to get rid of after the problems go away.<BR/><BR/>This philosophy, as observed in the <I>dozens</I> of unions I have observed operating here in the U.S., is such: to convince all comapanies with which they negotiate to liquidate all assets, take out as much debt as possible, deliver the equally-divided money to the union members, and declare bankruptcy. On the surface they deny this, because the end of the company is obviously the end of the union member's paycheck, but this is clearly the way they behave.<BR/><BR/>I have no reason to believe that in one or two or more decades, a game developer's union would be any different. Unions have their place in an industrial revolution, but I don't think they work well in an information revolution (or whatever you want to call the modern age of the developed world).Mr. Wallethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628020422487388600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146962068827587512006-05-07T00:34:00.000+00:002006-05-07T00:34:00.000+00:00Looking beyond unions and management structures, I...Looking beyond unions and management structures, I reckon, the biggest single issue is character. Fundamentally, the British workforce and management haven't changed. Both sides are too individualistic and selfish.<BR/><BR/>My take on this is the right balance between regulation and market forces would help calm things down and point us in a better direction. A good squeeze by the government would help things along, just ignore the screams.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146937995751864602006-05-06T17:53:00.000+00:002006-05-06T17:53:00.000+00:00Please read this article from the UK newspaper, Th...Please read this article from the UK newspaper, The Guardian: http://money.guardian.co.uk/workweekly/story/0,,1758464,00.html<BR/><BR/>Extract:<BR/>"It is absurd to suppose that trade unions now would behave like the trade unions of the 1970s were supposed to have, even if they could," he says.<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, unhappy workers resort to less confrontational methods. British workers change their jobs more often than any others in Europe. Days lost to strikes have plummeted. Days lost to absenteeism are soaring.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146880272921446682006-05-06T01:51:00.000+00:002006-05-06T01:51:00.000+00:00Good point Kim!I agree that spreading knowledge of...Good point Kim!<BR/><BR/>I agree that spreading knowledge of best practice and peoples experiences can make a difference internally and between companies. Exactly what is left to regulation or the market is a matter of opinion, and one I'll leave for others to hammer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146844703834866842006-05-05T15:58:00.000+00:002006-05-05T15:58:00.000+00:00I disagree. At least I disagree with the implicati...I disagree. At least I disagree with the implication that unionization is the only path to resolution.<BR/><BR/>In the age of open and rapid communication (via web/mail/blogs), that should provide more fluidity to allow the free market to correct itself. i.e. People that run shops with humane work conditions should be able to poach the best people more easily. Over time, if companies like EA don't change their practices (I actually think they are) they'll suffer for it.KimPallisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10418501466730095519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146786114723906982006-05-04T23:41:00.000+00:002006-05-04T23:41:00.000+00:00Wannado is pulling a Lionhead and sacking 2000 wor...Wannado is pulling a Lionhead and sacking 2000 workers. Personally, I don't like this sort of thing. It shows a lack of loyalty and investment in the future. In my mind, the management are low calibre. Boosting revenue through cost cutting is easy. Growth is hard. Being nice about it is no excuse, only spin for valuing a quick profit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146705674817527882006-05-04T01:21:00.000+00:002006-05-04T01:21:00.000+00:00You may be interested in taking a look at Cyber Lo...You may be interested in taking a look at Cyber Lodge (http://www.cyberlodge.org/). It's a union for tech workers in North America.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6093379.post-1146679169009410152006-05-03T17:59:00.000+00:002006-05-03T17:59:00.000+00:00Representation, or some intermediary body that sha...Representation, or some intermediary body that shapes and directs action and communication, is one way but not a substitute for a shared vision. Unions, or their management equivalent, are neither good or bad in themselves. They may be a useful means to an end but, in the final analysis, remain a tool not an objective in themselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com