Bedre vilkår for spiludvikling i Danmark – og bedre vilkår for dem, der arbejder inden for branchen. Dét er målet med den tværfaglige brancheklub, der blev formelt stiftet i weekenden.
See english version below or click here
Med den nye klub – kaldet Game Workers Guild – er det fælles fagforeningsinitiativ Gameworkers.dk fra tidligere i år blevet suppleret af en tværfaglig brancheklub med en medlemsvalgt bestyrelse. Dermed har spiludviklere i Danmark taget et nyt skridt i retning af kollektiv organisering. Ultimativt med mål om en brancheoverenskomst og med udgangspunkt i fagforeningerne PROSA – It-professionelle i Danmark, HK Privat, DM Akademikerforeningen og FAF - Film- og TV-arbejderforeningen.
I dag er spiludvikling blevet en branche i egen ret og med en omsætning, der overstiger film- og tv-området. Men forbedringer i forhold til løn, arbejdstid, efteruddannelse og regler omkring kreditering har længe stået øverst på ønskesedlen hos de ansatte i branchen, der både omfatter faggrupper som it-professionelle, grafikere, animatorer og akademikere samt massevis af freelancere, der sælger deres ydelser til den voksende branche.
Den nyvalgte arbejdsgruppe for brancheklubben repræsenterer et bredt udsnit af fagligheder og roller inden for spildesign og spiludvikling:
- Arendse Andersen, Producer
- Allan Christophersen, Games Preservationist
- Jorge Villa Yagüe, Game Designer & Programmer
- Kristian Hedeholm, Senior Game Engineer
- Lani Feldstedt, Game Designer
- Mads Falkenberg Sønderstrup, Games developer
For forbundssekretær i PROSA Mirza Cirkinagic er gode arbejdsvilkår afgørende:
-Vi ser frem til at få startet dialog med arbejdsgiver- og brancheforeningen Games Denmark, der selv også er nystiftet i år. Vi har oplagt mange fællesinteresser i forhold til at løfte branchens anseelse og modenhed. For os omfatter det selvfølgelig, at der skal være ordnede forhold og overenskomstdækning, så branchen kan blive langt mere professionel, transparent og i stand til at udløse sit store potentiale. Der er heldigvis også sket forbedringer i branchen allerede, og vi vil klart gerne arbejde for udbredelse og generalisering af disse, men der er stadigvæk også problemer, som vi er nødt til at tage seriøst. F.eks. omkring efteruddannelse, pensionsopsparing, overtidsarbejde og kreditering. Der er derfor stærkt brug for, at spiludviklerne har dygtige fagforeninger i ryggen.
English version
Better conditions for game development in Denmark – and better conditions for those working in the industry. That is the goal of the interdisciplinary union committee, which was formally established over the weekend.
With the new club – called the Game Workers Guild – the joint union initiative Gameworkers.dk from earlier this year has been supplemented by an interdisciplinary union committee with a member-elected board. Thus, game developers in Denmark have taken a new step towards collective organization. Ultimately aiming for an industry-wide collective bargaining agreement, represented by the unions PROSA – IT professionals in Denmark, HK Privat, DM Academics Association, and FAF - the Film and TV Workers Association.
Today, game development has become an industry in its own right, with a turnover that exceeds the film and TV sectors. However, improvements in salary, working hours, continuing education, and rules around crediting have long been at the top of the wish list for employees in the industry, which includes professionals such as IT specialists, graphic designers, animators, and academics, as well as many freelancers who sell their services to the growing industry.
The newly elected working group for the union committee represents a wide range of skills and roles within game design and development:
- Arendse Andersen, Producer
- Allan Christophersen, Games Preservationist
- Jorge Villa Yagüe, Game Designer & Programmer
- Kristian Hedeholm, Senior Game Engineer
- Lani Feldstedt, Game Designer
- Mads Falkenberg Sønderstrup, Games Developer
For PROSA union secretary Mirza Cirkinagic, good working conditions are crucial:
“We look forward to starting a dialogue with the employer and industry association Games Denmark, which was also newly established this year. We obviously have many common interests in terms of elevating the industry's reputation and maturity. For us, this naturally includes the need for orderly work conditions and collective bargaining agreement coverage, so the industry can become much more professional, transparent, and capable of realizing its great potential. Fortunately, there have already been improvements in the industry, and we clearly want to work for the dissemination and generalization of these, but there are still issues that we need to take seriously. For example, continuing education, pension savings, overtime work, and crediting. Therefore, there is a strong need for game developers to have competent unions behind them.”
Kirstine Baloti, head of the department at HK Privat, is pleased with the engagement in the new club:
“We have members with IT backgrounds and also graphic designers working in the industry, and the whole foundation for being able to work for better working conditions is that we can stand together across the labor movement and across the many professions in game development. Many in the industry come from abroad, and our meetings and information in this area are conducted in English so everyone can participate. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together after the summer.”
For Anders Dalsager in the DM - Academics Association, the conditions and value of cultural production are central:
“Games have in many areas become one of Denmark’s most widely used cultural products, and game employees solve many exciting tasks with their strong competencies. But the employees need a focus on continuing education opportunities, proper pension schemes, full-time positions, and salaries that match the rest of the IT industry. We therefore support our members when they organize within the industry. This can lead to a collaboration with the new industry organization Games Denmark and the new game institute Nimbi GameLab. And it can strengthen the entire industry and create better conditions for everyone.”
René Høyer Jørgensen, head of the secretariat at FAF, focuses on the importance of collaboration:
“FAF is happy and proud that we now, together with the other unions within game development, have pooled our efforts on the employee side. We want good cooperation internally and with the industry organization. There should be more jobs with good conditions, not least for FAF's creative members who have a great desire for orderly conditions in the industry.”
For more information:
- Union Secretary at PROSA, Mirza Cirkinagic, tel. 26 84 28 93, mic@prosa.dk
- Head of department for HK Privat, Kirstine Baloti, tel. 27 25 80 33, Kirstine.Baloti@hk.dk
- Chairman of DM - Danish Association of Masters and PhDs, Culture and Media, Anders Dalsager, tel. 31 15 19 79, andersdalsager@gmail.com
- Head of the Secretariat FAF, René Høyer Jørgensen, tel. 41 29 33 82, rj@filmtv.dk
Read more: https://www.gameworkers.dk/
