The French Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) union have called for a national strike across the country’s games industry on June 25th. The action’s being taken against the ongoing layoffs which continue to ravage the game-making space, with the union calling on striking workers to “demand major organisational changes within their companies”.
As outlined in a statement published by the STJV, this strike’s been dubbed “Summer Greve Fest” and will begin with a picket line outside the Paris HQ of Detroit: Become Human developers Quantic Dream. The union claim the company could get rid of around 115 jobs as part of an “internal reorganisation” the latter confirmed is taking place following the decision to end development of free-to-play MOBA Spellcasters Chronicles last month.
The SJTV made clear that the problems go beyond just Quantic Dream, with the union having accused the likes of Ubisoft and Greedfall publishers Nacon of mismanagement in response to layoffs and shutterings earlier this year.
“After years of warnings about particularly difficult working conditions, and after securing convictions against numerous companies for their illegal activities and shortcomings, studio closures and layoff plans are now multiplying in France and abroad,” they wrote. “Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking these factors are unrelated. The failure of our leaders to train and retain a skilled workforce, their repeated abuse against workers, their deep-seated stance against unions, their incompetence in project management, and their inability to listen to warnings have all directly led to the current situation. This crisis was avoidable, but our bosses chose to drive blindly towards disaster.
“The government is equally culpable. By subsidizing an industry with questionable practices without any oversight, it encouraged a harmful and unsustainable economic and social system, potentially leading today to the collapse of the country’s leading cultural sector.”
The union also singled out the threat of generative AI and outsourcing as other factions which have driven them to conclude this action is necessary in the hope of stopping working conditions continuing to be flushed down the drain.
Solidarity to the French developers taking part in the strike day.
