The fight at Don’t Nod is drawing to a close. Our hearts are aching to see our colleagues leave, but we wanted to bring these months of intense struggle to a close with an analysis of what we have learnt for the future.

Why it’s important

Our starting point was a layoff plan in which the employer intended to fire 69 people, i‧e. almost a third of the workforce, without compensation (other than the legal minimum). The plan contained a breakdown of job categories so precise that it targeted around thirty people individually.

Through mobilisation, through strike action, we succeeded in imposing a framework and conditions that mitigate, not sufficiently but greatly, the violence of this layoff plan.

We would like to highlight a few specific points in these departure conditions.

Voluntary departures

During the negotiations on the terms of this layoffs plan, we secured 23 voluntary redundancies for job categories not threatened by the plan, in order to save as many colleagues from being fired.

We are pleased to announce that these departures have saved 23 workers from being forcefully fired.

Instead of the 69 layoffs initially planned, there were 46 voluntary departures and 1 layoff. We have almost reached our ‘0 forced departures’ objective.

In addition, 8 people were offered a new position, which a handful refused, leading to their dismissal with the same severance pay.

Cadre severance pay for everyone

We demanded and obtained the application of the method for calculating Cadre redundancy payments to everyone. It is financially advantageous for employees and echoes a general demand of the STJV: all video game production jobs should be covered by the Cadre status.

This is not just a symbolic measure, but an acknowledgement of our trades, our expertise and the autonomy we are required to exercise. It also represents a concrete improvement in our working conditions.

Companies must requalify the status of all employees still on ETAM status as Cadre, as was recently negotiated at Amplitude.

Strike pay

Don’t Nod has agreed to our demands and has paid the strikers’ wages for all the days of our indefinite strike. In so doing, the company recognises that this week-long strike is its full and entire responsibility: to defend our rights, to obtain negotiations and then this agreement, we had no choice but to mobilise by striking.

While this measure may seem unusual in our sector, it is in fact commonplace in end-of-conflict agreements. A precedent has now been set in the Video Games industry too.

Conclusion

Anne Devouassoux, President of the employers lobby SNJV, recently explained before the French Parliament that the agreement reached was, in the SNJV’s view, a proof of social dialogue.

Duly noted! This victory proves that progress can only be achieved through a show of strength, and even the president of the SNJV acknowledges this. The fight belongs to all workers, let’s seize it to win together.

Summary of the strike fund’s usage

Thanks to the 17,000 euros donated to the Don’t Nod strike fund, we were able to use 15,300 euros to pay off the 4 days of strike action in November/December 2024, at 100 euros per day per worker The rest will now go into the STJV’s general fund for future strikes.