Recently, members of the Spiders game studio spoke out about the mistreatment they were experiencing in a 20-page open letter written with the help of a Video Game Workers Union (STJV). Spiders management has contested these statements, saying they are false and defamatory, potentially damaging the company's interests.
For several months, Spiders' management has consistently discussed negotiations with staff representatives to reach an agreement. However, the dialogue between management and STJV has reached a standstill due to "the radical positions expressed by the STJV." However, today, management gathered all the staff to share the outcome of the discussions and decisions.
First and foremost, wages have been increased. While they received a 6.1% increase in fixed salaries in 2023, new increases will take effect in September 2024. The minimum salary at Spiders was raised by 11%, which did meet the union's request, as the average increase is 3%. Regarding 2025's wages, the negotiations for next year will begin at the end of the year.
Secondly, the agreement between management and the union has established new rules that will apply to most employees and align with the practices that already occur at Spiders. They've stated that "there is no intention to change the working arrangements of employees who are currently working remotely full-time. The management has committed to improving its initial proposal."
In addition to these rules, Spiders' management has announced that they will launch an audit on the working conditions and environment, including an assessment of psychosocial risks. This topic and assessment will be added to the management agenda for the next plenary meeting of the Works Council.
Additionally, management wrote in the statement to remind all Spiders employees that they "are on permanent contracts and that the studio experienced growth in its workforce in 2023, demonstrating its attractiveness within the industry." In 2023, Spiders achieved a score of 94/100 on the gender equality index, with management claiming to ensure that every employee or candidate is treated equally.
To conclude the statement, Spiders management "emphasizes that the working conditions prevailing within the studio do not correspond to the portrayal made by some in the media in an attempt to destabilize the company." According to the statement, the strike call was only followed by a very small minority and in a partial amount. "The management relies on everyone's sense of responsibility to ensure that the quality of dialogue it values and has maintained in the last days is preserved in the future."
Now that Spiders has released this open letter, it remains to be seen whether the union representing the Spiders workers will respond publicly or if they feel that all of their necessary needs have been met.
