But it’s often a catch 22 situation.

The people who would have the most sway are those who are the most respected. Usually the senior developers who’ve been in the industry some time and probably worked at the company for a few years As they’ll be the older members of the team, they’ll have picked up the kind of things people do as they get older (wife, house, children) so while they would probably have the most impact, they also have the most to lose.

And with the constant (more so these days) studio closure and dynamic nature of our industry, some people are probably thinking “it might be rough – all the time – but I know I can at least pay the bills on time”.

Whether constant crunch is a factor in leading to a less stable company (I would personally say it is) probably doesn’t factor when they’re tired, stressed and working long hours.

I don’t know enough to about US labour laws (but the more I know the less I wish I did) to make a solid judgement but I feel it’s here when the IGDA (or other body) should be placed. To support those that are fighting for a better life and for more respectable working hours.

There would be more official support for people trying to make a stand in the EU (which is why I would be very disappointed to hear of a case like this in the UK) so for once the IGDA being a US centric organisation is actually a good thing.

I’ve been more impressed this time around with the IGDA’s response (from various board member) so I’m waiting to see where they go next, but it hasn’t changed my opinions as to why I won’t join. Their offers to mediate between the workers and the managers seems like an excellent start and I’m just hoping someone takes them up on the offer.

Thanks for the post it was a very interesting read.

The real issue here is that while the IGDA is influencing a lot of individuals and companies (both in and out of the org) in a positive way, of course that’s never the kind of news that makes headlines like the plight of R* San Diego.

You may also want to look into the impact former Executive Director Jason Della Rocca made on a lot of issues back towards the start of the decade – he routinely took on stuff like Jack Thompson, and Thompson has even struck back at him in quotes. The IGDA back then took much more action on litigation as well.

Things have been a bit rough with Jason stepping down, a new Ex. Director being selected, and the org switching over to a professional management agency – but you have to admit the health program is a step towards more tangible benefits to members.

Second, one needs to be on the lookout for the warning signs that can lead to extreme crunch and other offensive working conditions. For example, you can’t really fix crunch by being reactive to it — once you’re crunching, a number of potential solutions are no longer nearly as viable, if they remain viable at all. You need to work towards enabling effective development methodologies beforehand, so you can better detect changes that could lead to crunch. You need to act in a preventative capacity.

Finally, I am in no way suggesting that anybody should be attempting to “overthrow their taskmasters.” Improving the exploitative practices of the industry isn’t going to happen via some kind of revolution, it’s going to happen through reasoned communication between all concerned parties. The earlier in development you broach the subject of potential problems and start discussing options, the more options you have. If you wait until you’re in the weeds, well, then you might only have the two worst options: suck it up, or quit. And you’re right: if you let yourself get to that point, practical concerns all but eliminate “quit,” leaving you suffering.

“Yes, it might be hard. It might be scary. You might feel that speaking up puts your job on the line, and maybe it does. If so, talk to your peers beforehand — a unified front is more effective than a single man or woman.”

Unless one of those you talk to are are a career ladder climber and grass on you.

Deep down, everybody who gets into this situation knows these things already, its just that the practical concerns stop them from organising. You may issue as many a “call-to-arms” as you wish, you arent going to incense overworked employees to overthrow their taskmasters.