Double Fine CEO Tim Schafer has spoken candidly about the events surrounding the studio's brief unionization effort last May, detailing the challenges of communication, the influence of Microsoft's labor policies, and his perspective on the events that transpired.
In an interview with Kotaku, Schafer revealed that he first learned of the union petition when a letter with around 30 signatures was posted on Slack. He stated that while he was aware of union activism at Double Fine for years, this notice indicated a more serious undertaking. "It’s up to them to discuss, not really mine," Schafer said of the employees' right to organize.
Regarding communication during the period, Schafer explained that as managers, they were instructed to "sit back" and avoid any actions that could be construed as interference. He noted that Microsoft provided labor policies and guidance, emphasizing a principle of non-interference. "They just told us about that and they’re there like, we’re here for you if you need," Schafer recalled. However, he characterized the process of determining eligibility for union representation as complex, especially within Double Fine's fluid organizational structure.
Schafer expressed his personal pro-union stance, citing the harsh realities of the games industry, including crunch, burnout, and layoffs. "I think the games industry treats people terribly, and I can see where the need for protection comes from," he stated. He speculated that the union effort might have been driven by a desire for protection against a larger corporate entity rather than against him or the immediate management.
When the petition was abruptly withdrawn just two weeks later, Schafer described it as a moment when "all the other shit hit the fan." He acknowledged that the subsequent period was confusing and emotionally taxing due to communication restrictions. "It’s like, all of a sudden there was this unnatural way of communicating kind of imposed on us and it just made it hard and made us feel like—It’s weird to work on a company for 25 years and then have a dramatic thing like this all of a sudden kind of take control of your ways of communicating," he said.
Microsoft's role, according to Schafer, was primarily to provide guidelines and resources. He was unaware of any specific labor neutrality agreement applicable to Double Fine at the time. The studio did distribute an official FAQ, which Schafer confirmed was part of Microsoft's recommended plan.
Despite the complexities and heated discussions that occurred internally, Schafer maintained that the focus was on respecting employees' rights. He noted that while there were strong feelings on both sides, the aim was to maintain a culture of mutual respect. "I didn’t see, it wasn’t like name calling or anything like that, you know," he said.
The layoffs that followed the union withdrawal were attributed by Schafer to the need to restructure and secure the company's future, not as retaliation. He emphasized that seniority and the need for employees directly contributing to projects that could secure the company's funding were key factors. "We’ve never retaliated against anyone for anything," Schafer asserted, pointing to the continued presence of union activists within the company.
Looking ahead, Schafer acknowledged that the experience highlighted a disconnect for some employees who felt outside the studio's core group. "There’s an outer ring of people who don’t feel like they’re part of that inner group," he observed. He expressed a commitment to bridging this gap and ensuring all employees feel included and valued, regardless of their tenure or role.
"We’re still alive," Schafer concluded, reflecting on the challenges of the past year and the studio's resilience. "And I think we did pretty well. But we’re not perfect, and I’m sorry there are people out there who have had a bad experience."