// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did STJV say to its date? "You're a variable attraction".
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 Logo of the Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses du jeu vidéo. | |
| Abbreviation | STJV |
|---|---|
| Formation | September 11, 2017 |
| Type | trade union |
| Headquarters | Paris |
| Location | |
| Members | ~1000 (2025)[1] |
| Website | https://www.stjv.fr/ |
The Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses du jeu vidéo[a] or STJV, sometimes stylized in S+JV, is a video game industry trade union based in France. It was founded on 11 September 2017.[2]
History
[edit]The idea of creating the union was born in 2016 as a response to the El Khomri law, with the union being established a year later in 2017. The creation of the STJV was initiated by around 30 people from small groups of game developers.[2] The union stated a desire to be represented by people other than their "owners" and to "represent all those who make video games in France, from the employee to the contractor to the trainee".[3]
The STJV is part of a group federated by Game Workers Unite (GWU). The STJV and GWU jointly launched a survey in May 2019 of the writing professions in video games.[4] The STJV states that it "provides its expertise and experience" to Game Workers Unite.[5]
Strike actions and protests
[edit]On 14 February 2018, a statement was released through STJV in which 21 out of 44 workers claimed that Eugen Systems had denied overtime pay, delayed paychecks, reduced gross wages below French minimum wage requirements, and failed to honour contractual and collectively bargained obligations, and that they were going on strike until their demands were met. Eugen Systems released a statement denying the majority of these allegations, but admitting to two instances of delayed payrolls due to technical issues, rather than malicious intent. STJV set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to support the employees on strike.[6][7][8] A statement from STJV a week later indicated that the strike was representative of a deeper lack of respect within the video game industry of programmers' experience and other abilities.[9] Employees who were on strike met at each other's homes to support each other and plan meetings with the press, labour advocates, and politicians.[10]
On 16 October 2024, the STJV organized a three-day strike of over 700 Ubisoft employees in France began a three-day strike, protesting the company's requirement to return to the office three days a week. The strike took involved Ubisoft's offices in Paris, Montpellier, Lyon, and Annecy. Workers expressed dissatisfaction over a lack of flexibility, salary increases, and profit-sharing, which they believe the company has ignored..[11]
In January 2025, around 100 employees took part in a strike by the STJV against a redundancy plan by Don't Nod.[12]
On August 2025, STJV members working at Arkane Studios released an open letter to the leaderships of Zenimax and Microsoft (who owned the company) announcing their support for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS). They called on Microsoft to stop supporting Israel, arguing that continuing to do so made them "[an] accomplice of a genocide" in Gaza.[13]
Notes
[edit]- ↑ transl. Video game workers' union; alternatively Syndicat des travailleureuses du jeu vidéo
References
[edit]- ↑ "Appel à la grève générale dans le jeu vidéo le 13 février". Le Figaro (in French). AFP. 16 January 2025. Archived from the original on 14 April 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- 1 2 Marissal, Pierric (27 September 2017). "Droits sociaux. Se syndiquer n'est pas jouer". L'Humanité (in French). Archived from the original on 28 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- ↑ "Le syndicat des travailleurs du jeu vidéo s'organise". Gamekult (in French). 18 September 2017. Archived from the original on 28 May 2026.
- ↑ Marissal, Pierric (5 July 2019). "Licenciements boursiers. Le géant du jeu vidéo se révèle nain social - L'Humanité". L'Humanité (in French). Archived from the original on 21 February 2020.
- ↑ Audureau, William (22 March 2018). "Jeu vidéo : la contestation sociale s'internationalise". Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 12 September 2024.
- ↑ Bell, Brian (15 February 2018). "Employees of French Videogame Developer Eugen Systems Go on Strike". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ Perricone, Marcello (19 February 2018). "Eugen Systems Employees Are On Strike Due To Work Conditions And La... | GameWatcher". Game Watcher. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (15 February 2018). "Eugen Systems employees on strike". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ "Eugen Systems strike workers are holding on – STJV". Le Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo. 21 February 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ Gach, Ethan (16 March 2018). "Developers At One French Game Studio Have Been On Strike For A Month". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ "Over 700 Workers of Ubisoft France Offices Walkout to Protest". 80.lv. 17 October 2024. Archived from the original on 31 October 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ↑ "Une centaine de salariés en grève au studio français de jeux vidéo Don't Nod" (in French). 14 January 2025. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
- ↑ Hood, Vic (14 August 2025). "Arkane Studios union publishes open letter to Microsoft, demanding a stop to Israeli support". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 13 October 2025.