Unionizing Keywords contractors at BioWare Edmonton: "We need a living wage"
Like a bolt from the blue, news landed this week that British Columbia-based Keywords Studios contractors working at BioWare Edmonton had officially filed to unionize.
For those not close to the company, this news came as a surprise. Though there's been some reporting about workplace challenges on different BioWare projects, little had been written about the state of affairs for contractors working to support the studio. This came in sharp contrast to the Raven Software unionization efforts, which sparked in the wake of a confusing set of layoffs that preceded changes in how Activision Blizzard hires contractors.
So what's going on up in the cold north of Edmonton? The answer won't surprise any game industry veterans. In an e-mail interview with Game Developer, a spokesperson for the unionizing Keywords Studios contractors talked about being paid minimum wage in a city with expensive rent.
That representative (who requested anonymity in order to speak freely about confidential topics), shared some more specific details on their experience as well. Though the group works at BioWare, their primary struggle is with the contracting company overseeing their labor.
As mentioned up top, the unionizing Keywords Studios contractors are primarily focusing on securing a contract that guarantees a living wage. The group's representative stated that members of their bargaining unit are "struggling to make ends meet" working on BioWare Edmonton's games.
"[That] needs to change, or we cannot continue doing this work," they stated.
This group of development support contractors earns Canadian minimum wage, which is $15/hour (in Canadian dollars, that's about $11 USD). "That's the same wage as an entry-level fast food worker," the
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