juicegg - Slashdot User

Submission + - What would it take for developers to start their own union? (techcrunch.com)

Submitted by juicegg on Sunday November 04, 2012 @03:59PM

juicegg writes: TechCrunch contributor Klint Finley writes that developers have shunned unions because traditional workplace demands like higher pay are not important to us while traditional unions are incapable of advocating for what developers care about most while at work: autonomy and self-management.

Is this how most developers feel? What about overtime, benefits, conditions for contractors and outsourcing concerns?

Are there any issues big enough to get developers and techies to make collective demands or is it not worth the risk? Do existing unions offer advantages or is it better to start from scratch?

Submission + - Rockstar Employees Badly Overworked Say Wives (gamasutra.com)

Submitted by juicegg on Thursday January 21, 2010 @08:58PM

juicegg writes: Wives of Rockstar Games employees in San Diego have published an open letter on their Gamasutra blog. The authors say that Rockstar employees are seriously strained by unending crunch periods of 12 hour work days and 6 day weeks. High levels of stress are leading to serious psychological and physical problems for some of the employees. They charge that studio management uses arbitrary, deceptive and manipulative practices to get employees to work more unpaid overtime hours at greater intensity — despite Grand Theft Auto selling $1 billion copies.

Among blog comments some current and past Rockstar employees are confirming problems with the studio. "Ex Rocker" writes:
"What makes R* crunch periods different then any other studio is that they tell you the game has to be finished in 6 months so let's start our final push to get this awesome game out there! 6 months turns into 1 year, 1 year turns into 2"

Other comments reveal worker hopelessness and general mismanagement at the San Diego studio.

Related stories here and here

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