Renton, Wash. — Today, Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons team (Dungeons & Dragons, D&D Beyond) and Studio X (Magic: The Gathering, Duel Masters) have announced their intent to form a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) as a part of United Wizards of the Coast-CWA (UWOTC-CWA). This announcement comes in the wake of the Magic: The Gathering Arena (MTG Arena) team’s successful unionization with CWA. MTG Arena announced their union in April of this year and won their election this summer.

Both teams echoed many of the same reasons for forming a union as their MTG Arena counterparts. In their open letter to leadership sent this morning, members of Studio X remarked that it “has become clear that it is in the workers’ best interests to pursue collective bargaining power in order to bring equity to the workplace.” Their workers cited mounting instability within Wizards and the gaming industry, a desire for fair compensation that reflects their work, clearly defined career progression, and more.

Dungeons & Dragons and Studio X’s union plans to follow in the footsteps of Wizards of the Coast’s MTG Arena team. MTG Arena is the premier digital equivalent of Magic: The Gathering. Studio X and MTG Arena have a long-running internal relationship, and members of MTG Arena’s union have voiced their support for their sibling units’ efforts.

These teams have given management until Tuesday, October 13, to voluntarily recognize their union. To ensure a timely certification process, workers have also filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

“Everyone I work with makes our company, our game, and our community stronger by bringing their talent, expertise, and effort to making Magic,” said UWOTC-CWA member and Magic Rules Manager Eric Levine. “Those incredible people deserve fair compensation, remote protections, clear career progression, and more. Supporting the people who make the game will ensure that Magic keeps getting better for years to come.”

Joey Haeck, a member of UWOTC-CWA and senior game designer on Dungeons & Dragons, shared that they are organizing “because scared workers are neither happy nor productive. By organizing to negotiate a fair contract on issues of layoff protections, forced relocation protections, equitable pay and career advancement, mandatory AI use protections, parental support, and more, we make our game better by investing in our human creators and resisting the churn and brain drain caused by roller-coaster layoffs.”

Haeck’s concerns around layoffs and the encroachment of AI represent pressing concerns in the gaming industry, and recent unionization efforts have worked to address these concerns through collective action. Other gaming studios like Blizzard, Paizo, and more have joined with CWA to secure further protections for their workers. Over 4,000 workers have organized across the gaming industry to expand game worker solidarity as part of CWA’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA), spanning from AAA studios in Microsoft’s gaming division to independent publishers.

“With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s crucial that the labor movement continues to uplift and stand in solidarity with the tabletop workers behind the games we all get to enjoy with our chosen communities, who are fighting for layoff protections, guardrails against AI usage, and transparency in the workplace between workers and management,” said CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister. “Like the workers before them at MTG Arena, CWA looks forward to supporting these workers as they undergo their campaign for voluntary recognition and union representation towards a better workplace.”

Workers who have either been affected by the gaming industry’s volatile layoffs or are freelance have also been joining the fight under CWA’s direct-join formation, United Videogame Workers-CWA Local 9433 (UVW-CWA), which officially launched in 2025. UVW-CWA now has nearly 600 members across the United States and Canada.

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The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion

PITTSBURGH – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s appeal of a ruling requiring the company to pay back its workers—members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh (TNG-CWA Local 38061)—for the cuts to pay, illegally implemented increases in health care costs, and other unilateral changes to their working conditions.

Millions of dollars are owed to current and former PG employees. And the PG has no further venue for appeal.

“I’ve actually lost count of the number of agencies, judges, courts, and other authorities that have told the Blocks that the workers were right and the multi-millionaires were wrong. Our members were the first to tell them—more than nine years ago now,” said Jon Schleuss, President of The NewsGuild-CWA. “It’s staggering to think how much money and time the company wasted on losing when that could have been spent on dignified working conditions and improving the caliber of local journalism. The Block family’s efforts to delay accountability are finished. We look forward to seeing justice served so that our award-winning journalists can continue to focus on holding power to account.”

Unionized editorial workers of the Post-Gazette went on strike in October of 2022, demanding a restoration of the contract the company illegally tore up, including dignified health care. In November of 2025, the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals enforced the ruling of the National Labor Relations Board, ordering the PG to do so.

With their strike demands secured, union journalists returned to the PG on Nov. 24, 2025.

The Post-Gazette, which was owned by the Block family until May 4, would go on to lose an appeal of a concurrent 3rd Circuit Court injunction restoring the health care plan that was unlawfully cancelled. The Newspaper Guild, the AFL-CIO, and the U.S. Solicitor General filed briefs arguing against the company’s repeatedly defeated position.

“A lot of honest, determined people sacrificed more than most know to get this ruling enforced and finalized,” said Andrew Goldstein, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh. “The Blocks and their co-conspirators in company management and elsewhere knowingly and willfully broke federal law for years, bringing untold harm to not only their workers but the news industry more broadly. We’re looking forward to getting quite literal payback and hope this serves as a warning to similarly reckless owners. Shame on the Blocks.”

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion

Elections 2026: CWA Retiree Town Hall!

On October 7, join CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. for a CWA Retiree Virtual Town Hall. There you will learn about how the upcoming midterm elections could impact you, your family, and your community, and what you can do to help pro-worker candidates win!

Click here to learn more and RSVP for this important meeting.

In August, CWA District 3 members and retirees met in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for networking, education, and to refocus on the theme, “Leading the Fight for Working Families.” The conference included industry- and bargaining unit-focused breakout sessions, committee meetings, and workshops on topics including “Broadband Organizing,” “Empowering Legislative Victories,” and an overview of the Department of Labor.

CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. delivered remarks to those gathered. He was accompanied by CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase; CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce; CWA Telecommunications and Technologies Vice President Lisa Bolton; CWA Public, Healthcare and Education Workers Vice President Margaret Cook; NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss; CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam; and CWA Retired Members Council President Gwen Parker.

Members also heard from Assistant to the President and CWA Senior Director of Organizing Tom Smith and CWA Director of Human Rights, Education and Health & Safety, Angie Wells.

President Cummings highlighted the tremendous sacrifice and solidarity CWA District 3 members showed during their AT&T Mobility Black Contract strike in 2024, saying, “You didn’t just talk about striking and solidarity and determination; you showed AT&T executives and the entire nation that those are more than just pretty words. And that work has paved the way for recent contract negotiations, which have gone much easier since AT&T now knows we don’t play and we don’t make empty threats. Thank you again for your sacrifices. I know that strike took a lot. But the contract and the reputation you won are worth it.”

Conference attendees also took part in a protest outside of ADT headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., calling on management to “Respect Your Workers and Respect Our Union.” CWA District 3 showed solidarity with ADT members in Districts 4 and 7, set to begin bargaining at the end of the year.

Yesterday, California members of the NewsGuild-CWA learned that California Governor Gavin Newsom had signed a bill into law that would create tax credits to support journalism jobs in the state. NewsGuild-CWA members, in partnership with other organizations as part of the Rebuild Local News coalition, maintained pressure on the governor to support the Community Newsroom Employment and Workforce Sustainability Act (Community NEWS Act).

The law creates job retention credits of up to $20,000 each year for every employed journalist and creates a $15,000 credit for every new journalist hired. Part-time journalist positions are supported with $7,500 credits. The new law follows similar legislation passed by New York and Illinois two years ago.

“I’m proud that my old home state of California will actively support journalism jobs,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “Journalism is facing an extinction-level event, and the only way to reverse course is to create tax credits to support journalism jobs. This law is a model for every other state and the federal government.”

Click here to learn more about this First Amendment victory.

After two years of negotiations, members of the United Soccer League Players Association (USLPA-CWA Local 7211) have announced the ratification of a new contract. USLPA-CWA currently represents approximately 1,100 players, with over 500 members in this unit. An upcoming league expansion could see the unit increase to over 800 members.

Players cited the need for year-round contracts, livable wage minimums, and guaranteed access to employer-paid health insurance as primary concerns going into negotiations. Despite anti-union efforts by United Soccer League (USL) management, members refused to back down from the fair contract they deserved.

This contract raises the bar for what it means to be a professional player in the United States, helping to create a more sustainable work environment. Prior to the contract, players were only paid for 10 months every year and often had to scramble for other employment during the off-season. This contract will help reduce turnover and help players avoid and recover from injury.

“Our players showed what solidarity looks like,” said USLPA-CWA Local 7211 Executive Director Connor Tobin. “For eight weeks, they stood together during the first minute of every match to make clear that they have a voice and a say in their future.

“This contract is a foundation for the players who come next. It means future players will have stronger protections and a stronger voice. We are proud of what our players fought for and what they have built together.”

 
Pictured, left to right: IFPTE Local 98 President Daniel Kim, CWA Local 2336 Finance Committee Member Korey Hines, CWA Local 2336 President Melissa Smith-Kupihea, NewsGuild-CWA National Civil Rights and Equity Chair Tim Fitzgerald, CWA Legislative Advisor Tysianna Marino, and IFPTE Legislative Director Faraz Khan raised fists of determination outside the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions meeting room at the U.S. Capitol Building.

CWA members and staffers joined union siblings at a rally in Washington, D.C., last week calling to restore bargaining rights stripped from federal workers by the current administration. President Donald Trump, at the start of his second term, signed an executive order revoking protections for nearly one million federal workers, hindering a wide range of services, including healthcare for veterans.

Help CWA Journalists Laid Off by McClatchy

Last week, McClatchy laid off 30 percent of its union-represented workers. Over 90 journalists and media workers across 17 publications lost their jobs.

Workers at some of the affected outlets are raising money to support their laid-off colleagues.

Click here for more information and to support your CWA siblings.

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CWA Social Media Training!

Not sure which social media platforms are right for your campaign? Interested in posting more content but not sure how to start? Want to learn how to take the best photos for social media?

Please join our CWA Social Media Training on September 29 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT!

Click here to learn more and RSVP.

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CWA 2026 Elections National Phonebanks!

Election day is coming up on November 3, and so much is at stake. Please join us for CWA national phonebanks to help elect pro-worker candidates!

Never attended a phonebank before? No problem! We'll get you trained up. You just need a phone and a computer.

Click here to help elect a union champion!

On Friday, in another unprecedented move from President Trump, journalists from news outlets CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were barred from the White House. Trump explained his rationale, simply calling the outlets “fake news.”

On Saturday, the Politico and E&E News (PEN) Guild, alongside their local, the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (TNG-CWA Local 32035), released a statement, saying, “This morning, Secret Service barred our own PEN Guild member Cheyenne Haslett from the White House simply for doing her job.

“Press access cannot be weaponized against journalists for their reporting. An attack on one outlet’s ability to cover the White House is an attack on a free press for all of us. We stand with our members and every journalist targeted for doing their job.”

On Monday morning, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico sued the Trump administration for the blatant violation of the First Amendment. This morning, a federal judge ordered the restoration of the journalists' access, but the situation continues to develop.

In a show of solidarity, five major news networks, including Fox, ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC, have agreed to suspend pooled coverage of Trump in defense of the constitutionally protected freedoms of the press, designed to protect those who investigate and hold to account people in positions of political power.

Donald Trump has a long history as president of attacking the press, ranging from vaguely disparaging statements to direct insults aimed at individual journalists. Trump made waves in 2025, for example, when he told Bloomberg News reporter Catherine Lucey, "Quiet, piggy," in response to a question about the Epstein files.

CWA Passenger Service members ended August in Las Vegas, Nev., at the second Passenger Services Convening. CWA Passenger Service Agents across American Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, and Envoy Airlines convened to celebrate victories and plan for future successes. The gathering, hosted by CWA Passenger Services Director Thomas Gunning, sported the theme, “Reaching New Heights Through Unity and Progress!”

After an introduction by CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce, CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. addressed the crowd, saying, “We are a stronger union today than before Passenger Service members joined, and that strength has played out through settlement and contract negotiations.” Prior to the convening, members received news of a $2 million settlement to be paid to workers for wages owed. This is one of the largest settlements in CWA history, thanks in large part to the tremendous efforts of CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos.

Passenger Service members also heard from CWA District 3 Vice President and Deputy Director of Passenger Services Richard Honeycutt, CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton, CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase, CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister, CWA Central Region At-Large Diversity Executive Board Member Reginald Small, CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam, CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos, and CWA Retired Members Council President Gwen Parker.

Members were able to further their union education with several workshop opportunities, including “How Workers Can Shape the Future of Artificial Intelligence,” “Building Power at Work: for Union and Non-Union Workers,” and an in-depth look at the Railway Labor Act.