CD Projekt’s deep cuts
The recent unionization effort at CD Projekt, the developer behind the popular Witcher and Cyberpunk game series, stems from a series of layoff waves that have shaken the company. This past summer, CD Projekt laid off 100 workers, citing a need to “align the scale and size of the team with the requirements of ongoing projects and the CD Projekt Group strategy.” This wasn’t an isolated incident, as the company had already announced layoffs earlier in the year, affecting employees in development, publishing, and back-office teams. The layoffs are expected to continue into the first quarter of 2024.
‘We’re in uncharted waters’
This string of layoffs, combined with concerns about working conditions and a lack of transparency from management, spurred a group of CD Projekt employees to form a union, the Związek Pracowników Branży Gier, or Polish Gamedev Workers Union. This union aims to provide a voice for game developers in Poland and address concerns about issues like crunch, poor pay, and job security.
The impetus for unionization
- Layoffs: The recent wave of layoffs has heightened anxieties among employees, especially those hired relatively recently.
- Communication gaps: Employees felt a lack of transparency regarding layoff decisions and communication from management, leading to uncertainty and stress.
- Job security: The layoffs have underscored the precarious nature of the game development industry, where jobs can be lost quickly.
- Work-life balance: While CD Projekt has improved conditions regarding overtime, the union contends that there are still subtle pressures to work extra hours.
The Polish Gamedev Workers Union is part of a larger labor movement within the game development industry seeking to improve working conditions and address issues like crunch and job security. This movement is gaining momentum, with similar efforts underway in other countries.
The union’s goals
- Recognition from CD Projekt: The union is currently seeking formal recognition from the company, which would allow for negotiations over contracts and working conditions.
- Contract negotiations: The union aims to negotiate a legally binding contract with CD Projekt that sets out clear working conditions, pay structure, and severance guidelines for members.
- Job security: The union seeks to provide more robust protections for workers against layoffs and other job insecurities.
- Transparency: The union wants to improve communication between management and employees, ensuring that employees have access to information about the company’s plans and decisions.
The union’s success in securing a contract with CD Projekt is uncertain. There is a hope that the company will be more receptive to unionization efforts following the recent layoffs, but it’s also possible that CD Projekt, like other game companies, will resist these efforts. The future of the Polish Gamedev Workers Union is uncertain, but it represents a significant step forward in the movement to unionize the game development industry in Poland.
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