CODE-CWA Members from TCGplayer and SEGA Visit the White House

TCG Union-CWA member Briana Thomas and Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (AEGIS)-CWA member Mohammad Saman.

On Monday, CODE-CWA members from the video game industry went to the White House for a roundtable discussion on worker organizing. TCG Union-CWA member Briana Thomas and Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (AEGIS)-CWA member Mohammad Saman met with President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with other administration officials, and shared their experience of forming a union and the importance of securing union contracts.

In March, workers at eBay-owned TCGplayer won their union election and became the first group of eBay workers to win union representation. Since their union election victory, management has engaged in delay tactics and a union-busting campaign in an attempt to deny workers the opportunity to bargain a fair first contract.

“Workers in the video game industry care deeply about our work—and a union contract gives us the leverage to negotiate to make this a sustainable career. Winning our union election was only the first step—the real victory comes when we secure our first union contract,” said Saman. Saman and his co-workers at SEGA won their union election earlier this month.

The roundtable, convened by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, included key administration officials such as Director of the White House National Economic Council, Lael Brainard, and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and former Labor Secretary, Tom Perez. Read more here.

Watch this video from the White House featuring Thomas sharing her experience following the roundtable discussion.

CODE-CWA members attended a roundtable discussion on worker organizing at the White House.