An unnamed worker is alleging that Nintendo, and a firm it uses for hiring contractors, violated their legally protected right to unionize, according to a new filing with the National Labor Relations Board.
Why it matters: The NLRB complaint, filed on Friday, brings one of gaming’s most successful companies into the increasingly active conversation about workers’ rights in the sector.
The details: The allegations state that Nintendo of America and global hiring firm Aston Carter engaged in “concerted activities” and made “coercive actions” against a worker, interfering with their legally protected right to organize.
While Nintendo is well-known, Aston Carter is a less visible player in the gaming industry.
Between the lines: Unionization efforts in gaming have increased over the last year, due to both simmering worker discontent in an intense field and in reaction to high-profile scandals at big game companies.
The bottom line: Nintendo has, at least publicly, largely avoided any of the scandals rocking the industry. The NLRB complaint could change that.
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