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Kickstarter Boycott

Kickstarter Boycott

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Overview

The 2019 Kickstarter Boycott was a protest started by those outside the Kickstarter United Union who also opposed Kickstarter's anti-union stance. Though the members of the un-recognized union did not recommend fully boycotting Kickstarter, many people outside the union called for the boycott due to the several union leaders being fired.

Background

On March 19th, 2019, The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153 released a statement announcing Kickstarter's move to unionize saying,[1]

Kickstarter United is proud to start the process of unionizing to safeguard and enrich Kickstarter’s charter commitments to creativity, equity, and a positive impact on society. We trust in the democratic process and are confident that the leadership of Kickstarter stands with us in that effort. Kickstarter has always been a trailblazer, and this is a pivotal moment for tech. We want to set the standard for the entire industry. Now is the time. Come together. Unionize.

Notable Developments

On September 12th, 2019, Kickstarter employee and union organizer Taylor Moore[2] announced that they had been fired for organizing a union. Moore went on to say, "They offered me no real reasons, but one month's severance for signing an NDA. I will not be signing it." Moore also revealed that "Last week another member of the organizing committee, Clarissa Redwine was also fired, and today a third prominent member of the union was told there is no place for him at the company. I stand firm in solidarity with my friends and colleagues" (shown below). The thread received over 33,100 likes in 18 days.


Taylor Moore stands with Kickstarter United @taylordotbiz This morning, after six years of pouring my life into the mission, the staff, and the creators of @kickstarter, I was fired for organizing a union They offered me no real reasons, but one month's severance for signing an NDA I will not be signing it. 5:17 PM Sep 12, 2019 Twitter Web App Taylor Moore stands with Kickstarter United Sep 12 Replying to @taylordotbiz and @kickstarter Last week another member of the organizing committee, @ClarissaRedwine was also fired, and today a third prominent member of the union was told there is no place for him at the company. I stand firm in solidarity with my friends and colleagues.

On September 27th, After starting a petition signed by project creators, editor Nathan J Robinson[3] of Current Affairs [5] tweeted, "Today I received a message from Kickstarter's chief communications officer encouraging me to share a statement from the CEO with the project creators who have signed our union solidarity petition. Here is his email, the CEO's statement, and my response" (shown below, left). The documents shared confirmed that the CEO is anti-union. The tweet garnered over 2,200 likes and 1,000 retweets in three days. The next day, Robinson[4] shared his published article on the matter to Twitter (shown below, right). The tweet gained over 6,700 likes in two days. Many Twitter users called agreed to boycott Kickstarter despite it not being in the union's best interest.


Nathan J Robinson @NathanJRobinson Today I received a message from Kickstarter's chief communications officer encouraging me to share a statement from the CEO with the project creators who have signed our union solidarity petition. Here is his email, the CEO's statement, and my response. Hi Nathan: Thanks again for the phone call about recent events at CEO Aziz has been listening to all the creators and backers who hay on your petition have been a particularly hel pful source of feedback community that I'm sharing below. We'll be posting it on our blog to what's happened and about the company's position on some issue share it with the signers of your petition. We can also send it to ther Thanks David P.S. Congratulations on your project's success! Davie Your company's statament is unaceptable in every single way. I had heped that Kickstater would pay aention to ts areators, and ake seriously its sanus as a puble beneft corporetion. I see Kickstater is deemined to confirm every negative inpression of it as a company hostle to labor organizing am very somy to see that Kickatriar has not ared its poaition in any way l am sure you alize that the oreators who signed our satemant will view this ler as insuting and hostle. You heve affmed that your company Our company will ret be retuning to yeur platorm am cerain that nany of the other 250 signatories to our statement will feal the same You have made it clear where your oompany stands, and that ts values do nat align with our oun tw nat remain neutral and actively oppeses a unien You have misieadingy stated thet unions oeate an adversatar dynamic This is false. The hiorarchical atructunee of companies inherontly gives workers ess power than owners and executives. Unions are necessary to comect that imbalance. This is why our signers so strongly beleve that the workers deserve a union. it is upseting that your company has declined toundentane tis and is delberatwly emearing the unlon as a trouble-mang ensty aer than ognizing the value of uniers in areating a fairer and mane equal workplace dd not wish to become a public crtic of Kickstater I have had nothirg but positive experiences with your staf Unfonunately your company's continued ans-union stance has put us into this positon I st maintain hope that the company wil rofect on s values and reconsider this damaging and indiefensble position (2Wll not voluntarily necognize a union, no mater how many workars ask You know full well that NLRD elections ae time oonsuming processes that provide emplayers with numerous oppenunites to throw Nathan baces in the pun of non oganaers uhve peridnrowing o onsome Ps.1ed your peeseriet to be gnutously offensie We are fortunate th ur cameign made ge beore Kickstater stated ing union organicers. Ater the naws began, our suppenters began evoting andI had to convince them not to pul donetions. We were unable to continue promating our campaign. because evary time we die, pecple critciaed us for patnering with an antunion company, which you havn atru are a ian a the ranain in t e supersors have been imolvee) that maa no sense and have no evdence. Eis quse cbvious that the power of the CEO to deter people from signing their names is far greater than that of a lower tie supervisor Voluntary recegnition is a fair process, and the fact that Kckatarter refuses to reognizet showa that it is atively opposod to the labor mavement. You say thia ia "imposable Thia is a fulshood 3:37 PM Sep 27, 2019 Twitter Web App Nathan J Robinson @NathanJRobinson Kickstarter's CEO has confirmed that the company is anti-union and will remain so. They will continue to fight against unionization and stand by the firings. His message to pro-union @kickstarter users is: drop dead, we don't need you Kickstarter To Workers and Project Creators: The company doubles down on its anti-union stance and says it plans to fight its workers to... currentaffairs.org 1:56 PM Sep 28, 2019 Twitter Web App


Various Examples


Dawn Foster @DawnHFoster Don't use Kickstarter Nathan J Robinson @NathanJ Robinson Sep 28 Kickstarter's CEO has confirmed that the company is anti union and will remain so. They will continue to fight against unionization and stand by the firings. His message to pro- union @kickstarter users is: drop dead, we don't need you. currentaffairs.org/2019/09/kickst... 5:20 PM Sep 28, 2019 Twitter for iPhone The Mountain Goats @mountain_goats Goodbye, @kickstarter! Neil Gaiman @neilhimself Sep 28 Given this, I'm very unlikely to post support or links on Twitter for Kickstarter projects in the future. Even if I very much want them to succeed. I can't think of any other way to tell @Kickstarter that they are being utter d---- twitter.com/NathanJRobinso... 12:05 AM Sep 29, 2019 Twitter for iPhone Neil Gaiman @neilhimself Given this, I'm very unlikely to post support or links on Twitter for Kickstarter projects in the future Even if I very much want them to succeed. Il can't think of any other way to tell @Kickstarter that they are being utter d----. Nathan J Robinson @NathanJRobinson Sep 28 Kickstarter's CEO has confirmed that the company is anti union and will remain so. They will continue to fight against unionization and stand by the firings. His message to pro- union @kickstarter users is: drop dead, we don't need you currentaffairs.org/2019/09/kickst.. 4:38 PM Sep 28, 2019 Twitter for iPhone Nova, loud half-orc mom @GiftnovaGaming Replying to @Swordsfall1 People love their knee-jerk reactions. I'm mad at Kickstarter too but the Union ppl *specifically said not to boycott anything (yet) and to keep supporting ongoing *and planned* Kickstarter projects But *those* people don't caaaaare uuggh 2:50 PM Sep 30, 2019 Twitter Web App Duncan Jones @ManMadeMoon Have honestly been considering g using Kickstarter for the first time for a project but this helped make up my mind. No thanks. Nathan Robinson @NathanJRobinson Sep 28 Kickstarter's CEO has confirmed that the company is anti union and will remain so. They will continue to fight against unionization and stand by the firings. His message to pro union @kickstarter users is: drop dead, we don't need you currentaffairs.org/2019/09/kicks... 5:11 PM Sep 28, 2019 Twitter for iPhone Kitty @BlackXKatt Replying to @BlackXKatt @neilhimself and 2 others Like literally, if people boycott, Kickstarter's lawyers can use that to SUE THE UNIONZERS Support the union by listening to them and doing what they ask! Share their Twitter! Boost them so more people know! 1:46 PM Sep 30, 2019 Twitter for And roid

Search Interest

External References

[1] Th Verge – Kickstarter Unionizing

[2] Twitter – taylordotbiz

[3] Twitter – NathanJRobinson

[4] Twitter – Nathan J Robinson

[5] Current Affairs – Kickstarter To Workers and Project Creators: Drop Dead

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