Mon 28 Aug 2006
The next meeting of the IGDA’s Guildford UK chapter will be a discussion on unions. More specifically, reps from the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTu) will be on hand to discuss their initiatives to orgnize UK-based game talent. Should make for an interesting and lively event.
The irony, however, is that EA is the sponsor for the evening. Or, more precisely, they are sponsorsing the bar. Not sure how that got worked out ;)
September 25th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
I attended this meeting. The interesting thing was the apathy that the developers showed towards the idea of unions. I raised questions on various game development forums after the event, but was met with the same apathy. I took away the leaflets and raised the subject with developers at my current client’s company, and again there was very little interest.
I think most younger developers don’t know what it is that a union would do for them. Even those that do, don’t know why it would be a good thing. Older developers are somewhat more knowledgeable but (perhaps understandably) unconvinced that unions can deliver based on past performance.
I don’t see this going anywhere in the UK, absent some catastrophic and catalysing event - like a British ea-spouse. (Hat tip to the world’s most twisted minds for that idea!)