ZA/UM UK Establishes Workers Alliance Union
The developers behind Disco Elysium and the upcoming espionage RPG Zero Parades: For Dead Spies have formed the Workers Alliance union at ZA/UM’s UK branch. Represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), this marks the first recognized games industry union in the United Kingdom.
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Preserving Studio Culture Through Collective Action
ZA/UM UK marketing manager Poppy Ingham emphasized the union’s purpose, stating that workers universally agree they have something unique at the studio worth preserving for years to come. UI/UX designer Declan Keane added that the union represents a significant effort to solidify the studio’s distinctive makeup of talent, focusing on long-term collaboration rather than short-term planning.
Background of Studio Turbulence
The union formation follows several years of controversy at ZA/UM. After Disco Elysium’s 2019 release, core creative team members including game director Robert Kurvitz publicly departed, claiming they were ousted by the studio’s executive branch. Kurvitz alleged the studio had been “stolen” from its original creators and accused CEO Ilmar Kompus of fraud.
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Kompus countered with accusations that Kurvitz and art director Aleksander Rostov fostered a toxic working environment. The disputes escalated into ongoing legal battles that continue to this day.
Aftermath and Renewed Focus
The controversies led to multiple project cancellations, including a Disco Elysium sequel and expansion, resulting in layoffs last year. Several new studios emerged founded by various members of the original Disco Elysium creative team.
Current ZA/UM UK workers, many of whom contributed to the original Disco Elysium though not among its key writers, view the union as a positive step toward maintaining the studio as a quality workplace. Despite negative accounts from former developers about studio conditions, union members see this collective action as moving the company in the right direction.
The union’s formation was announced through the IWGB Game Workers website and interviews with ZA/UM developers, highlighting a significant development in UK game industry labor organization. This news was originally reported by our colleagues at IMD Controls, providing comprehensive coverage of this landmark event in game development labor relations.