Tag

Unionization

All articles tagged with #unionization

Apple to Close Three U.S. Stores in June Amid Mall Struggles
business2 days ago

Apple to Close Three U.S. Stores in June Amid Mall Struggles

Apple will permanently close three U.S. stores—Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, CT; Apple North County in Escondido, CA; and Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, MD—in June. Trumbull and North County employees will transfer to nearby Apple Stores, while Towson staff can apply for open roles under their union agreement with IAM CORE. The closures come amid declining mall conditions and retailer exits, but Apple says it has opened 11 new stores since 2025 and that the move does not reflect overall performance.

GDC Survey: One-Third of U.S. Game-Industry Workers Laid Off in Two Years
technology2 months ago

GDC Survey: One-Third of U.S. Game-Industry Workers Laid Off in Two Years

A new State of the Game Industry report from the Game Developers Conference finds that 33% of U.S. video game industry workers were laid off in the past two years, based on feedback from more than 2,300 professionals. LAyoffs are more common at AAA studios, and the study also shows broad support for unionization (82%), with higher backing among earners under $200k, those who have been laid off, and people under 45; none of the 18–24 age group opposed unionization. The findings come ahead of the rebranded GDC Festival of Gaming.

Federal Courts Block California's New Labor Law Initiatives
politics3 months ago

Federal Courts Block California's New Labor Law Initiatives

California has enacted a law empowering its labor board to regulate working conditions and union rights amid federal inaction, but the law faces legal challenges from the Trump administration and the NLRB, which argue it oversteps federal authority. Experts believe courts are unlikely to uphold the law due to preemption, potentially leaving workers without effective union protections if the law is overturned.

Mobile Gaming's Rise to Dominance in 2025 and Beyond
technology3 months ago

Mobile Gaming's Rise to Dominance in 2025 and Beyond

The article discusses the state of the video games industry in 2025, highlighting the rise of smaller, creative games, the impact of technological and economic forces like AI and industry consolidation, the growing influence of powerful investors including Saudi Arabia's PIF, and the increasing political and cultural relevance of gaming, including unionization efforts and the industry's role in societal issues.

2025 Gaming Highlights: Top Games, Trends, and Co-Op Favorites
technology3 months ago

2025 Gaming Highlights: Top Games, Trends, and Co-Op Favorites

The article reviews the tumultuous year of 2025 in the game industry, highlighting trends such as the rise of generative AI, deprofessionalization, union activity, indie studio funding via Kickstarter, and the impact of tariffs on costs, while also noting the industry's ongoing struggles with economic contraction, exploitation, and social issues.

Blizzard Employees Unionize Across Multiple Teams Amidst Industry Unrest
world5 months ago

Blizzard Employees Unionize Across Multiple Teams Amidst Industry Unrest

Blizzard's Hearthstone team, along with other Blizzard units, has voted to unionize under the CWA, motivated by concerns over layoffs and workplace protections, with the expiration of a neutrality agreement that previously prevented company interference. The union aims to negotiate better job security, wages, remote work support, and protections against harassment and AI misuse, building on the momentum of earlier union efforts at Blizzard and other Microsoft studios.

world5 months ago

Blizzard and Battle.net Workers Unionize Amid Microsoft Neutrality Expiry

Workers at Blizzard's Battle.net platform have unionized under the CWA, forming two new unions for tech and support staff, just before the expiration of a neutrality agreement with Microsoft that facilitated union efforts during its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The unions aim to negotiate better policies on layoffs, return-to-office, and workplace treatment, with some unions having already ratified contracts. The future of unionization without the neutrality agreement remains uncertain.