So, some background first. I'm a union organizer. I was the lead organizer for the campaign to organize the QA workers at Activision Publishing and forming AQAU-CWA, one of the largest tech unions in North America. In December of 2024, 9 months after our union won recognition, I was fired allegedly for "unprofessional conduct". I was unemployed/underemployed for the entirety of 2025, but I was earning pay from my union because of my ULP against the company. I continued to support the workers at AQAU as much as I could from afar, and I was elected to be the chair of my Local's Organizing Committee. I'm also extremely proud of my local. We were one of the first unions to sign on to support the mass strike on January 23rd. We officially supported protesters by recruiting picket line marshals for ICE protests, and a lot of workers were also participating unofficially in other things like rapid response. We helped organize the worker assemblies in Minneapolis that resulted in a broadly unified movement against ICE that is still happening.
In January, I started at a new job doing tech work for researching cancer (aka "dry lab research") at a famous nonprofit. It pays more than double what I was earning at Activision, with better benefits. They're also infamously anti-union. I've been slowly gathering information to start organizing a union there, but 2 incidents occurred recently that really drove it into high gear. I injured my knee during my move, which required me to take a week off. Granted it was pretty sudden, but my manager was a little upset about it. He wanted me to give more notice, which I understand. I probably should have addressed the problem before it got that bad anyway. Then, I asked for vacation a couple weeks later. He got very upset that it was so soon after my injury and that I asked for more time than I had PTO (common practice at Activision, didn't know ¯\(ツ)/¯ ). I got upset because it almost meant that I didn't get to go on my annual fishing trip, so I've started ramping up my organizing efforts.
I've had several friends try to tell me that it isn't worth it, that I should just "punch in, work, go home", or that I could bide my time and "use the money from this job to do other organizing". I don't understand this. I've explained to them that this is more than a passion, it's how I believe we will achieve a better world. Unions are the basis of my political beliefs. I know that I could lose my job. I know that I got pissed off and ramped up over petty bullshit. But it's more than that. It's about workers asking for what is rightfully ours, the world.
13 Comments
Melobol@lemmy.ml · 17 pts · 16h
Some people don't understand people like you.
I respect what you are doing - because it is hard and risky. Keeping your head down is safe, that's why your friends want you to take easy.
If you are aware of the fact that you "ramped up over petty bullshit" - maybe they have some kernel of truth behind their concern.
Try to take a deep breath and slow down enough just to plan your steps ahead of you - so you can keep going longer and keep doing your quest.
hexagonwin@lemmy.today · 5 pts · 5h
mad respect sir. hope i can do similarly at some point
eezeebee@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 5h
Are you going to move from job to job creating one union at a time? Maybe you can find a way to scale that up, without sacrificing your own job each time.
I guess the concern for most of us is we need income to live, which is why everyone is giving you more cautious answers. Is that not the case for you?
rockSlayer@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 5h
I want to become a staff organizer for a union, absolutely. But outside of that, organizing unions ultimately has to come from the workers. I do plan to organize at each job that I get, because one of the things I noticed is that a lot of people are just waiting for someone like me to show up. If I keep going, it will motivate others outside of my company to stop waiting and start organizing. Of course I need money to live, but a job is a job. I'll find another one
eezeebee@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 2h
Your cause is noble, and I admire your selflessness. I think you could increase your influence without having to be a martyr to do it, though. And, at some point I can see your past and potential future employers talking to each other about you when you are trying to get hired again.
Just brainstorming here, but have you considered finding ways to reach out and educate your community? I'm thinking mailers, posters and flyers, local ads, talking to people at community centers or events. That kind of thing. Maybe you can propagate change in many places at once rather than one at a time. As a worker, I can tell you I don't know shit about starting a union, but like you said, if someone like you came along, you could have a greater impact at more than just your own workplace.
Good luck on your mission!
rockSlayer@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 2h
Actually I have. While I was the chair of the Organizing Committee, we were working on creating flyers to agitate people into organizing with CWA. When I moved for my new job, my local was about 130 miles away, and the local for my area isn't much closer. So I was making trifold pamphlets to talk about our rights as workers. I also want to start organizing my community, so we can start holding worker assemblies
eezeebee@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 2h
Right. You can't be in two places at once, and there are only so many hours in a day.
I think this is a good approach. Put away the scissors and bust out the lawnmower. IMO.
alexquiniou@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 11h
The hardest part is being patient. You have to learn that it takes time for people to grasp new concepts—and, above all, to take care of themselves. If all these concepts could be learned in just a few weeks, there would be no need to spend years in school.
Shayeta@feddit.org · 3 pts · 4h
If you can do something to better the world that means they can too, which leads them to feeling shame since they're not doing anything themselves. However, if they can convice you to stop, then they can stop feeling ashamed and everything is good again.
The best part is that for majority of people these thoughts are entirely subconcious and calling them out has no positive effect.
Grimy@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 11h
I applaud your work but I personally wouldn't stir the pot as a new hire. Just wait a bit would be my piece of advice. Tbh though, it doesn't feel like I'm right, I'm very pro union so it feels like weird advice to give.
rockSlayer@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 5h
I got something similar from family. Why would you wait?
hanrahan@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 11h
not much to say but thanks you for your work.
Impractical_Island@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 23m
Audaciousness is lordliness. Those who can only follow orders are not fit for leadership or independent roles. One must be one's own master in deciding what is right for you, but therein, the secret of the universe is you rise even higher if you value the self and the whole equally. Why do you work? Is it just a paycheck or do you have a higher mission? This is an important question because it helps determine how a multitude of intentions play out. If you are truly aligned with the good of all peoples, then you should not question yourself over what you think is right. If you see the world as you and countless strangers, maybe it best if you keep on the treadmill of the assembly line you work on to get to the promised land of where you're as independent as you like to think you are. I speak bitterly because my life partner has the same problem with the sheer concept of gratitude.