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

 

[Umbran]

To be fair... are there any broader RPG unions?

I think the closest thing may be GAMA - the Game Manufacturer's Association. And it most certainly isn't a labor union.

And if they're aren't, there's a strong possibility that Paizo will squelch this union (it's not recognized now). Most unions in the US fail before being formed.

I don't know if Paizo has the oomph to squelch much of anything. What are they going to do, hire scab game developers and other staff? Like that would play out well for sales of products they'd create?

 

[JThursby]

Flip side - if your company is not able to pay decent wages for reasonable levels of work, should you continue as a company? I mean, isn't that a reasonable definition of "failure" of a corporation?

I think history has show that is definitely not the case. The strength and success of most institutions, companies included, is not the sum of the well-being of it's members. If that was the case abusive institutions that exploit or backstab their members and subordinates would fail, and instead we see largely the opposite is true. Companies will do just fine even if you suffer under one as an employee, which is why tools like collective bargaining need to be brought to bear when things get bad.

 

[MGibster]

And if they're aren't, there's a strong possibility that Paizo will squelch this union (it's not recognized now). Most unions in the US fail before being formed.

This is true and often times it's because the company or others have managed to convince its workers to vote against unionizing. Other times the company ends up shutting the facility down and moving to another location in order to avoid having to deal with a union. Under the Wagner Act of 1935, which outlines protections for workers attempting to unionize and compels the company to bargain with a recognized union.

For full disclosure: I work in HR and as a representative of management I would not be permitted to join the union (if we had one) because it represents a clear conflict of interest. Personally, I recognize the good that unions have done for labor here in the US and I don't automatically hate them.

 

[gweinel]

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

My thoughts exactly. I hope to unionize too!

 

[Umbran]

I think history has show that is definitely not the case.

History shows it is functionally not the case. I asked if it was a reasonable definition, not a currently functional one.

"I have to take advantage of the inability of my workers to find better jobs to survive," does not sound like you're actually doing well.

 

[Ixal]

I think it started when they fired two staff members without cause. The unionization press release, meanwhile, speaks of pay inequity and differential hiring practices in addition to a culture of harassment from senior management.

The way I see it, companies put out statements of values as part of their brand-creation. The audience for this are consumers and also potential employees. So if they don't back up those statements, they will be seen as hypocrites, and maybe some people will not want to work for them or buy their products. But this is different, and a lot weaker, from actually-enforced labor regulations and law. Forming a union means that if basic violations of workers' rights happen, you don't need to resort to behind the scenes gossip and twitter threads leading to consumer accountability, you can file a grievance, go on a strike, and come to the bargaining table with actual leverage. (at least in theory).

You are right, the firing came first.

 

[JThursby]

"I have to take advantage of the inability of my workers to find better jobs to survive," does not sound like you're actually doing well.

I find most organizations that claim this are lying. It's a pleading of poverty to distract from the fact that funds have been mismanaged, usually in the direction of executives getting more than they're actually worth at the expensive of the other departments. Which is why I think the Paizo Union is canny. The workers probably understand there is money to spare and they're just not seeing it because Management is stuck in it's ways and has no motivation to change itself; now they have provided that motivation.

 

[Umbran]

Which is why I think the Paizo Union is canny. The workers probably understand there is money to spare and they're just not seeing it because Management is stuck in it's ways and has no motivation to change itself; now they have provided that motivation.

It may help that we are in an employee's market currently. Push come to shove, the workers can probably find new jobs more easily than the company can find new workers.

 

[Porridge]

Relevant to this discussion is Mark Seifter’s long tweet about the economics of the industry:

Thread by @MarkSeifter on Thread Reader App

Thread by @MarkSeifter: Hi everyone! I don't know how many of you are still checking in after my mega-thread, but if you're still with me, it may have been long, but that thread was about an...

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In it he touches on how much the owners of Paizo make from Paizo. And the answer is not much. And this isn’t because Paizo isn’t doing well by industry standards — it’s a reflection of how razor thin the profit margins are in this industry.

It’s telling that the Paizo Union folks emphasize allowing people to work remotely so they can live in cheaper areas, instead of demanding much higher wages. It’s because they recognize that much higher wages isn’t a realistic option given the economics of the industry. Whereas moving the company to more affordable location - or at least letting their workers live in much more affordable places - is a realistic option.

 

[JThursby]

It’s telling that the Paizo Union folks emphasize allowing people to work remotely so they can live in cheaper areas, instead of demanding much higher wages. It’s because they recognize that much higher wages isn’t a realistic option given the economics of the industry. Whereas moving the company to more affordable location - or at least letting their workers live in much more affordable places - is a realistic option.

Sounds like the workers know what they’re doing. That is beyond reasonable, I’m frankly surprised that wasn’t standard operating procedure. If the margins are that tight, renting a smaller, cheaper office and mostly remote workers sounds like a win-win for everyone.