Game Workers Unite Australia have survey developers across the country and have found that wages and job insecurity are top concerns.
According to a new survey conducted by Game Workers Unite (GWU) Australia, Australian game developers face below average payments and fears related to job security.
The second round of Games Industry Survey results, collected from 258 participants, found that almost one third of workers in the industry are being paid below award rates, despite working full 38-hour weeks.
Tim Colwill, one of the organisers for GWU Australia, said that these results highlight unlawful and exploitative practices and wants developers to work together for better conditions.
“We believe that only by standing together and bargaining collectively can real gains truly be won and secured in the long term,” said Colwill.
“We are organising across Australia and connecting game workers with their unions to help them understand the power of collective action.”
The survey also found that 73 per cent of participants were concerned about their employment situation listing their current employment as either “stable for now” or “unstable.”
61 per cent of those surveyed had only been in their current position for less than five years, with very few making it to the ten year mark.
Usually the information collected from surveys remain unpublished, however Colwill hopes that by making this information public, game workers can come away with an understanding of what their time is worth and to empower themselves into negotiating stronger positions.
You can view the full Games Industry Survey results for 2018/19 here
