Sega, CWA agree on first major US game dev union contract

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Unionized staffers will receive new benefits such as increased base pay, layoff protections, and crediting commitment

The Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS) union has ratified their collective bargained contract.

AEGIS calls this the first developer union contract at a major US games firm. It will provide various protections for the union unit across company divisions, including game design, translation, and marketing.

A list of some of the concessions are listed below:

Base pay raises for every employee in the unit
ust cause protections against arbitrary discipline and discharge
Layoff protections, including severance
Crediting commitment to all staffers who worked on a game, including early QA testers
Various codified benefits around an annual bonus plan, retirement plans, health insurance, and more
A commitment by management to ensure advanced notice of any planned use of AI in the workplace

AEGIS, partnered with Communications Workers of America, is a cohort of 150 full-time and contract workers at Sega of America who unionized in July of 2023.

“Workers in the video game industry have contributed to the success of multiple games and companies that have become household names. Yet, that hasn’t translated into the fair wages, job stability or career trajectories they deserve,” said CWA 9510 president Peter O’Brien.

“Workers at Sega of America have just shown what is possible by standing together to demand the respect their hard work has earned.”