Paizo Paizo Workers Unionize

The workers at Paizo, publisher of Pathfinder and Starfinder, have formed the United Paizo Workers union (UPW). The new union speaks of its love for the company, but cites a number of underlying issues including underpay, crunch conditions, and the recent allegations regarding the work environment made by former employee Jessica Price. They also bring up hiring practices, pay inequity, verbal abuse from management, and the covering up of harassment allegations.

The UPW is asking Paizo to recognize the union.

Redmond, WA (October 14th, 2021) — Today, the workers at Paizo, Inc - publisher of the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games - are announcing their formation of the United Paizo Workers union (UPW), with the Communication Workers of America’s CODE-CWA project. This union is the first of its kind in the tabletop roleplaying games industry.

“Unions have helped build a stronger working class in America and I’m proud to stand with United Paizo Workers. I believe that when we all work together, we’re better for it. Unionization allows workers to have a seat at the table and ensures that our voices and concerns are being heard and addressed so that all of Paizo can move forward for a positive future.” - Shay Snow, Editor

"I love my job. I love my coworkers, and I love the company I work for. I get to sell a game that I love to a community that I love. I come from a pro-union family, and I believe that unionizing Paizo will be the best way to protect the people, company, and community that I love, for now and going forward into the future." - Cosmo Eisele, Sales Manager

“My coworkers are amazing and so are the games we make together. I want Paizo to keep publishing Pathfinder and Starfinder content for years to come. This is my way of helping management improve our company culture, and by extension, the content we produce.” - Jenny Jarzabski, Starfinder Developer

“I proudly stand with my coworkers as we strive to help improve our workplace, and I believe the UPW will amplify our voices and assist with the changes we feel are necessary in making Paizo a more positive space for its employees.” - Logan Harper, Customer Service Representative

Paizo is one of the largest tabletop roleplaying publishers in the world, producing more than 10 hardcover books annually, along with numerous digital adventures and gaming accessories. Paizo also runs some of the most successful living campaigns in tabletop gaming history, with regular players in more than 36 countries. However, despite this success, Paizo’s workers are underpaid for their labor, required to live in one of the most expensive cities in the United States, and subjected to untenable crunch conditions on a regular basis.

Though efforts to organize by the Paizo workforce had already been underway for some time, the sudden departures of several long-standing employees in September and the subsequent allegations of managerial impropriety by former Paizo employees threw into stark relief the imbalance of the employer/employee relationship. These events, as well as internal conversations among Paizo workers, have uncovered a pattern of inconsistent hiring practices, pay inequity across the company, allegations of verbal abuse from executives and management, and allegations of harassment ignored or covered up by those at the top. These findings have further galvanized the need for clearer policies and stronger employee protections to ensure that Paizo staff can feel secure in their employment.

Changes have been promised, internally and externally, by the executive team. However, the only way to ensure that all workers’ voices are heard is collective action. It is in this spirit that the workers of Paizo have united to push for real changes at the company. The UPW is committed to advocating on behalf of all staffers, and invites all eligible Paizo employees to join in the push for better, more sustainable working conditions. The union requests the broad support of the tabletop community in urging Paizo management to voluntarily recognize the United Paizo Workers, and to negotiate in good faith with the union so that both may build a better workplace together.

For more information, please contact the Organizing Committee at committee@unitedpaizoworkers.org

Raychael Allor, Customer Service Representative

Brian Bauman, Software Architect

Logan Bonner, Pathfinder Lead Designer

Robert Brandenburg, Software Developer

James Case, Pathfinder Game Designer

John Compton, Starfinder Senior Developer

Katina Davis, Webstore Coordinator

David "Cosmo" Eisele, Sales Manager

Heather Fantasia, Customer Service Representative

Eleanor Ferron, Pathfinder Developer

Keith Greer, Customer Service Representative

Logan Harper, Customer Service Representative

Sasha "Mika" Hawkins, Sales and E-Commerce Assistant

Jenny Jarzabski, Starfinder Developer

Erik Keith, Software Test Engineer

Mike Kimmel, Organized Play Line Developer

Avi Kool, Senior Editor

Maryssa Lagervall, Web Content Manager

Luis Loza, Pathfinder Developer

Joe Pasini, Starfinder Lead Designer

Austin Phillips, Customer Service Representative

Lee Rucker, Project Coordinator

Sol St. John, Editor

Michael Sayre, Pathfinder Designer

Shay Snow, Editor

Alex Speidel, Organized Play Coordinator

Levi Steadman, Software Test Engineer

Gary Teter, Senior Software Developer

Josh Thornton, Systems Administrator II

Jake Tondro, Senior Developer

Andrew White, Front End Engineering Lead



In Solidarity:

Thurston Hillman, Digital Adventures Developer

 

[billd91]

No. Unions benefit from strength in numbers of both members and the companies they work for in an industry. Limiting yourself to the workers of one company is... unusual. Maybe they plan on expanding their unionization efforts if they succeed at Paizo, but I don't think this is an industry with the profit margins and worker numbers to make that viable. Should be interesting to see what happens with it.

Lots of smaller or local unions will join affiliations of unions, though, to increase their power and reach.

 

[R_Chance]

Lots of smaller or local unions will join affiliations of unions, though, to increase their power and reach.

True, but they didn't mention any affiliation with larger labor unions (or did they and I missed it?). Experience in union organization would be helpful. I'm not sure if any of them have that experience (beyond membership in a union anyway). As I said, it will be interesting to "see" what goes on. This proto union seems intent on gathering support among Paizo's customer base so I'm sure we'll see their side of it. Paizo itself will be more opaque. No telling what their sales and profit margins are like, how the money is spent etc.

 

[R_Chance]

The question of salary is not easy. Sometimes employers want to increase salaries, but can't without hindering the lifeline of the company (in startups and generally smaller companies). I wonder if the low salaries at Paizo are due to low margins or money being held at the top.

A lot of people don't like to hear things like this. But, hey, no company, no need for a union. What the company can afford is a good question. They might end up with a union and find out what they have is the most they'll get.

 

[Maggan]

Very interesting industry development. I'm sure Paizo will be fine.

 

[Steampunkette]

Very exciting and I 100% support any workers looking to unionize!

Though I am curious what sort of widespread pressure pushed them to that point. Usually it takes a lot of negative interactions across the entire workforce before people are even willing to -consider- unionizing.

Just -how much- Harassment was going on and being covered up that it got to this point? Are we looking at Blizzard Part 2?

 

[Marandahir]

This is a great and necessary step. Take note, WotC employees.

 

[Ixal]

Absolutely. And it's funny, on here and Twitter people complain about Paizo products not being progressive enough, on /tg/ and Reddit they complain that Paizo products are too progressive. There's no winning. The setting/adventure writers should just write what they want because trying to please the entire internet is a fool's errand.

Thats not really surprising. Because Paizo championed LGBT in their products people actively supporting LGBT apply a much higher standard to Paizo than to other companies.
Thus a single misstep from Paizo provokes a huge backlash from those vocal groups while companies which do not care at all about LGBT at all get away with it as no one expects them to support LGBT.

In the worst case LGBT activists harm their own cause with that in the case when pro LGBT companies need to shut down or are bought up because of the negative backlash leaving only companies which are neutral or worse towards LGBT.

 

[Blue Orange]

I mean, they made a Nyarlathotep anime. Then again, they make animes about everything.

Oh, it was more than just a Nyarlathotep anime. It was a Nyarlathotep as a schoolgirl crushing on the protagonist anime.

Nyaruko: Crawling with Love - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Back to unions...

 

[EthanSental]

I might have missed it if someone pointed it out earlier but P2 lead Logan was mentioned as as supporting it so I wonder if he’s from the rank and file side or MGT side view.
anything that benefits both (company and employees) is a good thing in my book so I hope both do benefit from it if they unionize.

 

[billd91]

A lot of people don't like to hear things like this. But, hey, no company, no need for a union. What the company can afford is a good question. They might end up with a union and find out what they have is the most they'll get.

Pay and benefits aren't the only things they can get out of a union. It may give them grievance procedures with more teeth.