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On June 4, 2024 workers at the IAM Experis Testers Cooperative held a Solidarity Day of Action in front of their parent company, Manpower Group, in downtown Milwaukee. The video game testers were joined by fellow IAM Brothers and Sisters from District 10, the Midwest Territory and community members in an effort to pressure Manpower to reach a fair first contract in their ongoing negotiations.
In November 2023, Experis workers voted 35-4 to unionize with the IAM to address multiple workplace issues. Their elected bargaining committee then entered into negotiations in February 2024. Recently, however, they have met headwinds in bargaining as management has made it clear that they view each of their employees as temporary and have laid off eight members of the bargaining unit since the beginning of the year.
The workers, who were not told about their “temporary” status when they were hired, are responsible for quality assurance and troubleshooting of newly developed video games. The video game industry is notorious for chronic, widespread workplace problems like low wages, employee burnout, and frequent layoffs. Experis workers are in a historic struggle to change this.
Experis workers are fighting for good jobs that don’t just disappear at the end of a developer’s contract and believe that Manpower has a responsibility to provide stable jobs that pay a living wage and help to sustain a vibrant Milwaukee community. Two additional Solidarity Days of Action are planned through the beginning of July. Anyone who would like to show their support is welcome to attend.
Tuesday, June 18 and Tuesday, July 2, 2024
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. CT
Milwaukee Riverwalk in front of Manpower Global Headquarters
100 Manpower Pl., Milwaukee, Wis.
In February 2024, the IAM filed Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Experis held illegal mandatory captive audience meetings during the workers’ organizing drive and engaged in illegal retaliation by freezing all hiring, promotions, and pay increases during and after the union election. The investigation is pending.
