Developers at CD Projekt Red have taken a significant step by unionizing, marking a response to a series of layoffs within the company. They have joined forces with other Polish game developers to establish the Polish Gamedev Workers Union.
The newly formed union operates as an independent division of Inicjatywa Pracownicza (OZZ IP), also known as the Polish Trade Union Workers Initiative, which represents workers across various industries.
The Polish Gamedev Workers Union emerged in the wake of layoffs at CD Projekt Red. According to the union’s website, the discussion about unionization began after a wave of layoffs in 2023, which affected approximately 100 employees, or 9% of the workforce. These layoffs caused significant stress and uncertainty, impacting the mental health of the affected employees and ultimately leading to the formation of the union.
The primary objective of the Polish Gamedev Workers Union is to provide workers with collective bargaining power and a unified voice to advocate for fair working conditions and transparency in company operations. With substantial changes occurring within CD Projekt, the union aims to ensure that employees’ voices are directly considered in decisions that affect the entire workforce.
These efforts to unionize come in response to three waves of layoffs at CD Projekt Red over the past three months. The layoffs began with 29 employees losing their jobs at The Molasses Flood, a studio owned by CD Projekt Red. Subsequently, the company made 30 more layoffs, resulting in the dissolution of the team responsible for Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. In the most recent wave of layoffs, 100 more employees were let go, attributed to the “deep transformations” taking place within the company, as stated by executives.
In an interview with Polish Gamedev Workers Union founders Lev Ki and Pawe? Myszka, the pair mentioned that they “haven’t had any response” from CD Projekt Red’s management. Nevertheless, the union has completed all the necessary legal documentation, endowing it with legal authority.
