3 years on from laying off over 1,000 people, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast are sending daily emails and physical letters encouraging the survivors to not unionise
Three years after laying off more than 1,000 employees, Hasbro and its subsidiary Wizards of the Coast are actively discouraging remaining staff from unionizing through daily emails and physical letters. The anti-union communications campaign represents an escalation in labor tensions at the company.
Employees from the Magic: The Gathering Arena team formally announced their intention to establish a union in late April, giving Hasbro until May 1 to voluntarily recognize it. The company declined to do so, prompting the matter to proceed to a formal vote conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
The unionization effort appears to be a response to worker concerns about job security and working conditions following the major workforce reduction three years prior. Hasbro’s comprehensive anti-union campaign—utilizing both digital and physical channels—demonstrates the company’s determination to prevent unionization.
This situation reflects broader trends in the gaming industry, where labor disputes and unionization efforts have become increasingly common in recent years. The NLRB vote will determine whether the union organizing succeeds, potentially marking a significant moment in labor relations at one of gaming’s largest publishers.