Reply To: Kickstarter boycott.

[bigdave 3704xp 3]

Had my concerns about Kickstarter for long enough but this latest activity has allowed me to close the book on them for good.

Have to admit, with having friends in the creative industries the topic of worker organisation in those sorts of environments is an interesting one, it’s certainly an issue increasingly being addressed by both the industry and by the Labour movement. When you’re pouring your heart and soul into a personal project it’s understandable that normal working conditions don’t necessarily apply, but as an employee, it’s very easy to forgot your legally entitled rights, or worse, to be aware of them and to be coerced into unhealthy, potentially illegal employment practices for fear of losing your job. Frustrations around Crunch time for example being the epitome of industrial disharmony in electronic gaming so to speak but even basics like having to chase your pay is a sadly increasingly common occurrence amongst some studios.

Whether you’re an artistic creator or in the case of Kickstarter, a vital functionary in the administration of the company, the ability to exercise your democratic rights (regardless of political persuasion) and to retain at least some degree of control over the fruits of your labours is an important one.