An increasing number⁢ of Polish video game ⁢developers have united to‍ form a trade union,⁤ the‍ Polish Games⁤ Workers Union (PGWU),⁢ led by a founding group of CD Projekt workers.

The union’s mission is to​ promote the rights of Polish⁤ video game developers, protect‍ their fair working conditions, and represent their interests‌ in the larger gaming industry ecosystem. The union ‍is particularly focused on improving the industry’s ⁣diversity and inclusion practices,⁢ and advocating for workers’ health and work-life balance through ‍policies⁣ such as shorter working⁤ hours, longer vacations, and severance packages.

The union counts members from some of the country’s​ largest video game developers, including CD​ Projekt Red, Bloombox, 11 bit studios, and People Can ‍Fly, as well as numerous smaller independent developers.

The founding group of CD Projekt Red workers, which first founded the union in 2019, are hoping ‌to expand their efforts to unify video game workers throughout⁤ the entire country. As union founding member ​and CD Projekt Red game programmer Grzegorz Miechowski explains, “We want to​ make sure​ that the⁤ needs and values ​of Polish game developers are represented both in Poland and abroad. We believe that ⁤with a unified effort we can ⁣gain a stronger voice in the industry, and help create better working conditions⁣ for everyone.”

The PGWU is just one movement in the broader international effort to improve‍ working conditions for video game developers across the ​world. Recent initiatives⁤ in France, ⁣Germany, and the United ‌Kingdom have ⁢highlighted the necessity of ‌establishing powerful, independent trade⁤ unions‌ for video⁤ game developers. With this spirit in mind, the founding members of the PGWU ⁢are hoping ‍to spark a wave of ‌Unionization across Poland‍ and beyond.

In the ⁢short term, the PGWU ⁣hopes to​ advocate for better employment contracts for game developers, especially in the light of the uncertain economic conditions brought on by the pandemic. Long-term, the union is⁤ hoping to provide a⁢ united platform‍ for developers to voice ⁣their concerns and further their interests on a global scale.

If you are a⁣ Polish game developer interested in learning more about the ‍PGWU and/or joining ⁢the union, please visit​ their website at ⁢ https://polskasztuka.pl/en/pgwu/ or contact the union ​at pgwu@polskasztuka.pl.