Earlier today, a supermajority of employees working for Sega of America at its headquarters in Irvine, California unveiled their plans to unionize. Their union goes by the name Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega, or AEGIS, and they formed it in collaboration with the Communications Workers of America. Numbering 144, the employees will hold a vote through the National Labor Relations Board and have requested Sega of America to recognize their union.
In a Twitter thread highlighting their goals with the union, the workers stated that they currently do not have control over their working conditions at Sega. Although they expressed enjoyment over their time working at the company, many do not see their current jobs as sustainable. At the moment, Sega of America pays their employees at lower rates than the industry standard, and paths to promotion remain few in number.
Additionally, “nearly a third of Sega’s long-time workers still lack full-time status, paid time off, proper training, or even bereavement leave, despite dedicating years of their life to Sega. By forming a union and requesting fair treatment, the workers hope to improve each others’ lives as well as the games they create.
AEGIS’s specific requests
AEGIS’s goals outlined in the thread include higher base pay to account for inflation and living costs as well as more balanced workloads and schedules. In addition, the workers request “improved, stable benefits for all, including healthcare, retirement, remote work opportunities, and more.” They also ask for more “clearly outlined” promotion opportunities as well as improved department staffing to avoid overwork.
Notably, Sega as a whole has had an extensively documented history with crunch and subpar working conditions, going from their early years all the way to today. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that Sega of America employees are working to establish a union to improve these conditions.
Image via Sega