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Kickstarter has become one of the first major tech companies in the US to unionise

It has joined forces with the Office and Professional Employees International Union

Kickstarter has become one of the first major tech companies in the US to unionise

Employees for crowdfunding firm Kickstarter have voted to unionise.

As reported by Vice, the new union has been formed with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPIEU) - the local 153 division. When it came to the vote, 46 were for a union, 37 were against it.

"Today we learned that in a 46 to 37 vote, our staff has decided to unionize," said Kickstarter CEO Aziz Hasan in a statement.

"We support and respect this decision, and we are proud of the fair and democratic process that got us here. We've worked hard over the last decade to build a different kind of company, one that measures its success by how well it achieves its mission: helping to bring creative projects to life.

"Our mission has been common ground for everyone here during this process, and it will continue to guide us as we enter this new phase together."

Kickstarter has joined 100,000 other white-collar employees represented by OPIEU. The company has become the first tech firm in the US to fully unionise.

Kickstarting a union

A former employee - Clarissa Redwine - spoke to Vice. She was a Kickstarter United organiser who was fired last September. The unionisation efforts first began in March 2019.

“Everyone was crying when the results were announced,” said Redwine.

“I thought it would be close, but I also knew we were going to win. I hope other tech workers feel emboldened and know that it's possible to fight for your workplace and your values. I know my former coworkers will use a seat at the table really well."

Unionisation has been a growing concern in the games industry. Last month, one of the largest unions in the US - the Communications Workers of America - launched a new campaign to unionise the industry.

Earlier this month, Nexon Korea granted a 6.8 per cent pay rise for its employees after union talks. It will come into effect in 2020.

For the full story, head over to PCGamesInsider.biz.


Staff Writer

Kayleigh is the Staff Writer for PocketGamer.biz. Besides PGbiz and PCGI she has written as a list writer for Game Rant, rambling about any and all things games related. You can also find her on Twitter talking utter nonsense.