After last spring’s elections, new reforms further undermining social rights were announced. Meanwhile, inflation continues to soar, forests continue to burn, temperatures continue to rise. At a time when we fear upcoming food shortages, the government’s only aim is to continue to increase inequalities.
Among other things, it proposes :
- the generalisation of forced labour by making the Revenu de Solidarité Active (RSA) subject to the completion of work hours.
- the impoverishment of retirees with the revival of the pensions reform. If it does not raise the retirement age to 65 anymore, this is only a PR move, as other measures will drag pensions down no matter what.
- threatening social benefits such as unemployment insurance.
Despite making successive promises to fight against homelessness, then against sexism and now for the environment, the French government is satisfied with public communication and refuses, since it is its policy, to take concrete action.
The years ahead appear to be a continuation of previous policies, in favour of the richest, against the poor and against all marginalised people.
If the French economy has not collapsed despite the crisis we have been going through since 2020, it is only, as everywhere in the world, thanks to the dedication and efforts of millions of workers. These people, who are truly essential in our society, are still poorly treated and poorly paid, even before their rights are slashed any further. If large French companies were able to generate 44 billion euros in dividends alone in the 2nd quarter of 2022, it is only because of the value created by workers. This reality also applies to the video game industry.
In addition to increasing wages above inflation and introducing the 4-day week, both minimum measures to minimise the mess and actually reduce unemployment, we demand the implementation of our proposals to make work fairer, both in our industry and in all others.
The Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) is joining the labour movement by calling for strike actions on September 29, 2022, and calls on video game workers, unemployed people, retirees and students to organise themselves in their companies, in general assemblies and in the demonstrations that will take place throughout France. The STJV will be officially present in several demonstrations across France.
This call covers the STJV’s field of action in the private sector, and therefore applies to any person employed by a company that publishes, distributes, provides services and/or creates video games or video game equipment, whatever their position or status and whatever the type of production of their company (console, PC, mobile, serious games, VR/AR experiences, game engines, marketing services, game consoles, streaming, etc. ), as well as all the teachers working in private schools in courses related to video game production. For all these people, and since this is a national call to strike, no action is necessary to go on strike: you just have to not come to work on the day you want to strike.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.