Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
@jdespland.bsky.social
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
a very very long time ago i was listening to a video game podcast that has long since stopped existing where a frustrated listener wrote in asking what “Guitar Hero Ennui” was because he misheard them talking about “Guitar Hero on Wii”
November 11, 2025 at 8:36 PM
a very very long time ago i was listening to a video game podcast that has long since stopped existing where a frustrated listener wrote in asking what “Guitar Hero Ennui” was because he misheard them talking about “Guitar Hero on Wii”
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
geoff,
November 7, 2025 at 7:23 PM
geoff,
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
“Rockstar continue to deflect from the real reason for these dismissals: they are afraid of hard working staff privately discussing exercising their rights for a fairer workplace and a collective voice.”
Fired Rockstar Games staff have protested outside the UK offices of parent company Take-Two and developer Rockstar North today, denying accusations of leaking company secrets and calling for their reinstatement.
'Grand Theft Employment!' — Protests Outside Take-Two and Rockstar North Offices as Fired Staff Deny Leaking Company Secrets
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 6:09 AM
“Rockstar continue to deflect from the real reason for these dismissals: they are afraid of hard working staff privately discussing exercising their rights for a fairer workplace and a collective voice.”
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
This story is infinitely more important than GTA getting delayed. Don't let me catch you moaning about waiting longer for a video game if you're not mad about why it happened.
"Rockstar, Rockstar, you're disgusting, we charge you with union busting," the protesters declared.
'All you had to do was follow the damn law, Rockstar!': Workers are protesting outside Take-Two after GTA 6 dev's alleged 'brazen' union-busting
"They can get used to seeing us on their doorstep."
www.pcgamer.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:06 AM
This story is infinitely more important than GTA getting delayed. Don't let me catch you moaning about waiting longer for a video game if you're not mad about why it happened.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Truly, one of the reasons things have crashed and burned so hard in the last twenty years is that the most evil people on the planet learned the majority of people only needed the thinnest veil of an excuse to deny what's obviously happening.
For folks who think Rockstar firing 30+ workers in the union isn't union busting - what do you think union busting would look like?
Do you think they'd come right out and be like "Yep, we're union busting"? Is that what you'd need to hear before you believed that's what they were doing?
Do you think they'd come right out and be like "Yep, we're union busting"? Is that what you'd need to hear before you believed that's what they were doing?
November 6, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Truly, one of the reasons things have crashed and burned so hard in the last twenty years is that the most evil people on the planet learned the majority of people only needed the thinnest veil of an excuse to deny what's obviously happening.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Oh they're afraid afraid.
Rockstar claims dismissals were due to information leaks, not union busting
UPDATE: Developer says it "took action against a small number of individuals" for "distributing and discussing confidential information"
www.gamesindustry.biz/iwgb-accuses...
UPDATE: Developer says it "took action against a small number of individuals" for "distributing and discussing confidential information"
www.gamesindustry.biz/iwgb-accuses...
Rockstar claims dismissals were due to information leaks, not union busting
UPDATE: Developer says it "took action against a small number of individuals" for "distributing and discussing confidential information"
www.gamesindustry.biz
November 6, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Oh they're afraid afraid.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
"the revolt of the bosses" is a good way of framing the elite reaction to woke 1. what's particularly interesting is that this isn't a reaction to an attack on profits--it's a reaction to changes in workplace culture--
which is to say, the psychic wage of hierarchy
which is to say, the psychic wage of hierarchy
I suspect that the revolt of the bosses element of all this really is explained by: a bunch of upper echelon Americans really didn't like the cultural and workplace changes induced by Woke era, some portion of them were pushed into internet insanity, but most just wanted a shift slightly right....
November 5, 2025 at 4:17 PM
"the revolt of the bosses" is a good way of framing the elite reaction to woke 1. what's particularly interesting is that this isn't a reaction to an attack on profits--it's a reaction to changes in workplace culture--
which is to say, the psychic wage of hierarchy
which is to say, the psychic wage of hierarchy
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Overly-broad NDAs are widespread in the industry, and if companies are able to stick in court that they can interpret talking about your woking conditions as "leaking confidential information" that's an avenue they'll pursue to disrupt organizing.
NEW: Rockstar Games says the 30+ employees it fired last week were leaking confidential information, disputing allegations that the company is union-busting.
The union says it was a private chat with labor organizers. This messy battle isn't over yet. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The union says it was a private chat with labor organizers. This messy battle isn't over yet. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Says Fired Employees Were Leaking Information
Rockstar Games terminated more than 30 people last week in an action that a labor group called “union-busting.”
www.bloomberg.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Overly-broad NDAs are widespread in the industry, and if companies are able to stick in court that they can interpret talking about your woking conditions as "leaking confidential information" that's an avenue they'll pursue to disrupt organizing.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Textbook case of an org committing to diversity in the environment of 2020 and then not being willing to actually listen to those diverse people when they dared to speak up.
Honestly it feels really bad that when we asked them to put their money where their mouth was, TGAs instead killed the entire Future Class program.
November 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Textbook case of an org committing to diversity in the environment of 2020 and then not being willing to actually listen to those diverse people when they dared to speak up.
we shall make no excuses for the terror
November 5, 2025 at 6:27 PM
we shall make no excuses for the terror
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Who has the best Zohran crashout screenshots?
November 5, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Who has the best Zohran crashout screenshots?
Funny how a management narrative about "misconduct" always magically appears right after organizing happens. Almost like it's an orchestrated strategy and not an organic workplace issue.
A gaslighting attempt to reframe workers' exercising of their rights as what is "creating a toxic environment".
A gaslighting attempt to reframe workers' exercising of their rights as what is "creating a toxic environment".
Last week, Rockstar was accused of firing over 30 people for engaging in union activity.
In a statement to Bloomberg (and subsequently Game Developer), Rockstar owner Take-Two said those workers were fired for "gross misconduct."
Today, an IWGB rep told me there is no evidence that was the case.
In a statement to Bloomberg (and subsequently Game Developer), Rockstar owner Take-Two said those workers were fired for "gross misconduct."
Today, an IWGB rep told me there is no evidence that was the case.
Rockstar accused of firing over 30 union members in 'calculated attack on workers'
November 5, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Funny how a management narrative about "misconduct" always magically appears right after organizing happens. Almost like it's an orchestrated strategy and not an organic workplace issue.
A gaslighting attempt to reframe workers' exercising of their rights as what is "creating a toxic environment".
A gaslighting attempt to reframe workers' exercising of their rights as what is "creating a toxic environment".
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
i cant wait for the crash outs dude
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 AM
i cant wait for the crash outs dude
hope new yorkers are ready to keep mamdami accountable to his 2020 position
November 5, 2025 at 3:14 AM
hope new yorkers are ready to keep mamdami accountable to his 2020 position
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Unless you genuinely contribute to something really fucking cool or good for humanity in some capacity, marrying yourself to your work is frankly stupid, and employers that expect their employees to care about the company past a paycheck are delusional.
Just to be 100% clear: do not *trust* your employers - that's super silly. The relationship is economical, not based in loyalty, trust, or kindness. There's no judgement in forming a union, just understanding that capitalism requires a risk of financial loss to get companies to do the right thing.
"Unionisation efforts just signal to employers you don’t trust them"
"Just profit share"
Have you been in the industry these past three years? Some ppl just wanna marry the boot
"Just profit share"
Have you been in the industry these past three years? Some ppl just wanna marry the boot
November 1, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Unless you genuinely contribute to something really fucking cool or good for humanity in some capacity, marrying yourself to your work is frankly stupid, and employers that expect their employees to care about the company past a paycheck are delusional.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
what about trusting the *employees*
"Unionisation efforts just signal to employers you don’t trust them"
"Just profit share"
Have you been in the industry these past three years? Some ppl just wanna marry the boot
"Just profit share"
Have you been in the industry these past three years? Some ppl just wanna marry the boot
November 1, 2025 at 12:28 PM
what about trusting the *employees*
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
"This game was made completely by actual people in a union" would make me interested in a $100 price point game.
Watching gamers get angry at union representatives because somehow, fighting back might affect the output of a large AAA title, is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen.
None of ya'll deserve the games made by these developers. It's embarassing.
None of ya'll deserve the games made by these developers. It's embarassing.
November 3, 2025 at 9:55 PM
"This game was made completely by actual people in a union" would make me interested in a $100 price point game.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
SAG-AFTRA stands in solidarity with the IWGB Game Workers Union exercising their right to organize following reports of union-busting at Rockstar. Our members’ union performances on Rockstar games are an integral part of the success and legacy of games like Grand Theft Auto.
November 4, 2025 at 12:28 AM
SAG-AFTRA stands in solidarity with the IWGB Game Workers Union exercising their right to organize following reports of union-busting at Rockstar. Our members’ union performances on Rockstar games are an integral part of the success and legacy of games like Grand Theft Auto.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
This was great. From Christopher Marlowe to Dorothy Thompson's "Who Goes Nazi?" Come for the Faust, stay for the antifascism.
"Mephisto" (based on the Klaus Mann character) needs to become common parlance.
"Mephisto" (based on the Klaus Mann character) needs to become common parlance.
i drew devil horns on my head. I thought about wearing a costume but then I figured it would be somebody's fetish so I wore a hat and a giant flannel and also a giant coat.
faust and the furious
YouTube video by acollieralso
youtu.be
November 2, 2025 at 3:44 PM
This was great. From Christopher Marlowe to Dorothy Thompson's "Who Goes Nazi?" Come for the Faust, stay for the antifascism.
"Mephisto" (based on the Klaus Mann character) needs to become common parlance.
"Mephisto" (based on the Klaus Mann character) needs to become common parlance.
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
check out "the fever" by wallace shawn
www.wischik.com/lu/senses/fe...
www.wischik.com/lu/senses/fe...
February 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
check out "the fever" by wallace shawn
www.wischik.com/lu/senses/fe...
www.wischik.com/lu/senses/fe...
"the actor who plays Dr. Sturgis on Young Sheldon"??? Excuse me, he is the voice of the dinosaur in Toy Story
November 2, 2025 at 11:53 PM
"the actor who plays Dr. Sturgis on Young Sheldon"??? Excuse me, he is the voice of the dinosaur in Toy Story
Reposted by Joachim ✊️ UVW-CWA
Some people often worry that unionizing can come with the risk of retaliation. That even though it's illegal, they'll get away with it. Guess what? They were gonna do all of that shit to all of you anyway, while telling you that the union will just sow division. It doesn't. It sows defense.
November 1, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Some people often worry that unionizing can come with the risk of retaliation. That even though it's illegal, they'll get away with it. Guess what? They were gonna do all of that shit to all of you anyway, while telling you that the union will just sow division. It doesn't. It sows defense.