United Videogame Workers union launches at GDC 2025 in partnership with CWA
By UVW-CWA is the first union to be organized in North America, with its initial campaign focusing on the ongoing layoffs in the gaming industry.
During the 2025 Games Industry Conference this week, gaming workers announced the formation of the United Videogame Workers union in collaboration with the Communication Workers of America.
The UVW-CWA marks the first organized union for developers in the United States and Canada, signifying that it is not limited to a specific workplace.
Both full-time and freelance employees from various fields can join, including those involved in art, writing, design, quality assurance, and programming.
Individuals affected by layoffs are welcome to join, as well as those who wish to or are in the process of forming unions in their workplaces.
As outlined on its website, the union has set forth several demands for employers:
- Sustained growth to prevent immediate-term boosts and bust cycles in hiring
- Advanced notice prior to layoffs
- Paid time off following layoffs
- Enhanced severance compensation
- Extended health insurance coverage for laid-off employees
- Recall rights – those who are laid off should get priority when the company starts hiring again
- Worker control over decisions to use generative AI
The union’s inaugural campaign targets the ongoing industry layoffs, noting that over 10,500 jobs were lost in 2023, following an additional 14,600 in the previous year. This trend comes after GDC’s State of the Game Industry report revealed that 41% of surveyed developers reported experiencing layoffs in 2024.
Members of UVW-CWA distributed a petition “demanding dignity and job security for all video game workers” during the GDC this week, in addition to hosting panels, a rally, and a launch event, as reported by IGN.
“The establishment of this union was not a solitary act; it represents a collective effort by thousands of video game workers who have been striving for years to redefine what it means to unite and reclaim authority in one of the largest and most lucrative industries on the planet,” stated Tom Smith, CWA’s senior director of organizing.
“These workers are making a courageous stand, coming together to empower those behind the games we all cherish and enjoy.”
CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. remarked: “T