Some Stats from the Wired Article

[Dire Bare]

"negotiate better pay"....as if the company doesn't have standard pay rates that can barely vary due to legal, HR, and regulatory reasons.....I'm not sure some people posting here have worked for big companies, or tried to negotiate salary.....

Standard pay rates can most certainly be negotiated.

I'm a teacher, and my district (like most) has a standardized pay schedule. I cannot, as an individual, negotiate my salary. But every year, my union negotiates the actual salary schedule with the district. If my union didn't do that, I'd be making a heck of a lot less than I do now . . . . . not that I make all that much now . . . .

And "standard pay rates" don't work the same in every industry and company. If the "standard" is set by a company, a union can certainly negotiate that standard.

 

[Umbran]

In some states it's legal to replace them should they go on strike.

Hiring temporary workers to fill in is legal. But, broadly, unless it is an unprotected strike (like a wildcat strike, not supported by the union leaders, among some other non-protected strikes), you can't fire the workers - when the strike is over they get to have their jobs back.

And several fields are not allowed to use strikes at all by federal law: Police, Fire, EMS, ATC.

That is correct. Game production and design, however, is not on that list.

 

[aramis erak]

Hiring temporary workers to fill in is legal. But, broadly, unless it is an unprotected strike (like a wildcat strike, not supported by the union leaders, among some other non-protected strikes), you can't fire the workers - when the strike is over they get to have their jobs back.

Permanent replacement is allowed in some conditions.
Here's the NLRB website on it: The Right to Strike | National Labor Relations Board
The right to strike, under US law, is neither absolute nor all-encompassing.

 

[R_J_K75]

Whether or not that's reasonable depends upon contract and location. All unionless positions in the US have certain protections by law, and others which vary. And the ability to unionize varies state by state in the US. In some, it has to be organized entirely off-site. In others, it can be done on the clock at work.

Well said.

 

[Umbran]

Permanent replacement is allowed in some conditions.
Here's the NLRB website on it: The Right to Strike | National Labor Relations Board
The right to strike, under US law, is neither absolute nor all-encompassing.

You speak as if the word "broadly" (with it's indication that a thing is often, but not always, true) didn't register with you.

 

[aramis erak]

You speak as if the word "broadly" (with it's indication that a thing is often, but not always, true) didn't register with you.

My home state is filled with union busting as a de rigeur practice. My cousin was cosntantly complaining about how the courts were NOT enforcing the NLRB regs to protect workers. And the fed courts weren't taking up the appeals by the NLRB.
So, "broadly" in the case of union protection? I've seldom seen it work outside education.
I've heard Texas is likewise prone to ignoring the federal protections as well. Mostly by setting the bar for unlawful striking so low that almost every strike violates it.

 

[Morrus]

OK, WotC or Paizo haven’t even been mentioned in two days. Like the other two threads, this is just a general thread about American labour laws. If it continues like that, I’ll close it.

 

[Blue]

"negotiate better pay"....as if the company doesn't have standard pay rates that can barely vary due to legal, HR, and regulatory reasons.....I'm not sure some people posting here have worked for big companies, or tried to negotiate salary.....

Then you fight for a more senior job title, in a different salary band. Common in big companies.

When there was an economic downturn and there were no raises being given I negotiated an extra week of vacation.

Plus realize that not all of your negotiation is with your boss. For example in IT talking to the head of HR about costs to hire and train highly skilled employees and needing to improve retention by creating a senior technical track - management track is not the right fit for a lot of people and yet retention saves the company money.

Know your company's policies (official or unofficial) on things like counter-offers. If you go to them with a offer making $10K more elsewhere, will they try to beat it or shake your hand and wish you well?

I've work technical and management. I've fought for raised for stars whom we would have lost, and gotten regional heads to do things like give several successive raises every X months, all under the cap that would have needed to go higher up the chain for approval.

Yes, even in big companies you can and should negotiate your salary. You need to be your own cheerleader, and always need to look out for your own best interests.

 

[TreChriron]

The best money to be made in the industry is NOT working for someone, but publishing yourself. The barriers are somewhat lower these days. There are too many open games out there and content creator programs to feel bound by the "big companies". You would better off in the DM's Guild than trying to nab a job at WOTC. Just my two cents...

 

[aramis erak]

The best money to be made in the industry is NOT working for someone, but publishing yourself. The barriers are somewhat lower these days. There are too many open games out there and content creator programs to feel bound by the "big companies". You would better off in the DM's Guild than trying to nab a job at WOTC. Just my two cents...

the blokes I know writing for DM's Guild are making single digit to low double-digit dollars per month. There's no money to gain there.
The guys writing for Traveller's Aid, most are making about the same. Much smaller market, but many fewer contributors.
The content programs are not a career option. They're (barely) monetizing a hobby.