揭秘工会：游戏公司领导者需要了解什么

We collect insights shared by union representatives at this month's GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit

If you run a video games company, working with unions is rapidly becoming an inevitability rather than a possibility.

This is especially true in the UK, where October 30 will see the first waves of changes to the Employment Rights Act implemented – including a mandatory requirement to allow unions access to your workplace in some form.

For some leaders, this may seem somewhat daunting, but a panel discussion on unions at the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit earlier this month shed some light on the realities of working with such organisations.

While the specifics from the session were for attendees only, in order to create a safe space that facilitates a deeper discussion with the union representatives on the panel, we have collected the key takeaways for you below.

It's about building a collaborative relationship

Throughout the session, the union representatives emphasised that the relationship between an employer and a union should be collaborative, not combative, and that companies do have a say in how that relationship builds (primarily through their HR leaders).

In fact, the unions claim the relationship can largely be determined by how companies approach them: whether they view trade unions as an opponent or as a stakeholder with a legitimate informed voice.

They also emphasise it's inadvisable to view unions as an opponent, because as soon as you view the process as a form of a competition, you begin to question who is the winner and who is the loser. If you feel you 'lost' last time, it affects how you approach the next conversation.

Instead, don't view each discussion as a contest to be won, but as a problem to be solved by two parties working together. Be open about expectations and which solutions are affordable. Identify the gap between problem and solution and collaborate on how to bridge that gap (or at least make it smaller).

The relationship is ongoing

Union representatives recognise that collective bargaining can seem challenging, especially if you have never been involved before. But they assure that once you demystify the process and take away some of the fear, it can remove a lot of employers' anxiety.

The emphasis is on not viewing each discussion as a competition

Again, the emphasis here is on not viewing each discussion as a competition with a winner or loser, but as a continuous relationship between employer and union. Collective bargaining is not an isolated activity that happens from time to time.

Ideally, a relationship in which the two parties meet regularly means both sides will be more aware of what's happening within the company and what the challenges are, and can perhaps offer a chance to share some pertinent data related to the issue. In the UK, all of this will partly be enabled by new laws opening more access to the workplace for unions.

Ultimately, this means both sides can arrive at each collective bargaining point in an informed position, which helps to moderate any expectations around the discussion.

Strikes are actually a last resort

There are likely to be many leaders in the industry who believe unions' main goal is to disrupt their business or perhaps bring it to a grinding halt through the use of strike action. But the union representatives at our HR Summit say this isn't the case; quite the opposite, in fact.

A union's preferred way of operating is by collaborating with the company whose workers they represent. Their place is not outside your front door, but in your boardroom, speaking to the management team, explaining their concerns and issues, having their say, and then solving problems in a joint way.

One rep said that if the situation has escalated to the point where groups are gathered outside your workplace with placards and loudhailers, then the relationship is "in a really dark place, and it's really hard to come back from that."

Seek legal advice to diffuse situations early

The session inevitably touched on the ongoing story around Rockstar vs the International Workers' Union of Great Britain. Representatives of other unions recognised that this is "a high profile case", but also pointed to it as a prime example of the fact that, in all cases, there are two sides to the story.

More importantly, it's a reminder to all companies that if there is any union involvement within your business, there could be additional considerations and risks around any human relations matters that arise. In fact, one rep emphasised that it's important not just to have access to a lawyer, but also to seek appropriate legal advice as soon as issues begin to kick off.

On a similar note, the representative suggested that wherever union support is involved, it's vital to separate whatever the wider issue is from individual circumstances or situations. As soon as a union is involved, it's about finding a joint solution that applies to your entire staff.

New UK laws aim to simplify things

Changes in the law in any territory often give companies pause, because there is pressure to ensure compliance with new regulations (and, again, the fear that implementing this could disrupt operations). But while union representatives emphasise that employers need to make sure they understand changes to the UK's Employment Rights Act – both those planned for October 30 and then others for January 2027 – these changes are nothing to fear.

From January, companies will have an obligation to tell staff they have a right to join a trade union

The October changes around trade union law, for example, are not designed to increase the number of strikes going on in the workplace, nor are they radically changing unions' ability to push for formal recognition. Much of the provisions around trade union law are saying largely the same, if not simplifying issues, with new mandates on things that have previously been voluntary; from January, for instance, companies will have an obligation to tell staff they have a right to join a trade union if they wish.

The biggest change the representatives discussed was the rules granting unions access to the workplace, both physically and digitally. The shape of this access will become clearer over time, but they expect it to involve a lot of digital communication, perhaps a union presence on some internal system explaining what the union does, who the representatives are, and so on.

Unions are hoping for a more physical presence as well, a place where they can speak to staff to get a better sense of how things are at the company – and, yes, the occasional meeting with leadership. But again, the union reps stressed that this is not designed to disrupt businesses or day-to-day operations.

One rep observed that, in the past, the question employers faced was 'do you want a relationship with a trade union?' With these changes in UK law, and the general direction of travel for organisations, the question in future is more likely to be 'which union do you want a relationship with, and how do you want that relationship to look?'

Earlier this year, we published a summary of how the Employment Rights Act is changing employees rights, including their interactions with unions.