Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren backs Proletariat's unionization efforts
As Proletariat goes through the process of unionizing, the employees involved have gained one notable ally: United States senator Elizabeth Warren.
On Twitter, the Massachusetts senator (where Proletariat's office resides) gave her backing to the PWA (Proletariat Workers Alliance), stating that she stands with them "to form a union and fight for fair benefits and working conditions. When workers organize, workers win."
Warren's awareness of what's going on with Proletariat indicates that members of the US government are keeping a close eye on what's happening in the game industry. Awareness may lead to regulation down the line, as multiple senators called on game developers late last year to make efforts toward combating extremism in game communities.
Earlier in the week, it was reported that leadership at the Spellbreak developer wouldn't voluntarily recognize the employee-led union, and now a full election will be conducted via the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Proletariat leadership said that an NLRB vote would "let employees get all the information and various points of view."
At time of writing, a date for the union vote hasn't been set.
Last year, Warren was one of several Democratic senators (including Vermont's Bernie Sanders and New Jersey's Cory Booker) who called on the FTC to carefully review the terms of Microsoft's acquisition of Proletariat's parent company Activision Blizzard.
In their letter to the FTC, the senators noted that such as an acquisition could "worsen the negotiating position between workers and companies," and called on the organization to intervene if necessary.
To the workers at @Proletariat_inc in Boston, I stand with you as you organize with @CODE_CWA to form a union and fight for
Read more on gamedeveloper.com
