Kickstarter United ends six-week strike with a resounding victory

After 42 days of a sustained labor strike over failed negotiations with Kickstarter management, Kickstarter United announced that the strike has ended with a victory.   Workers at the crowdfunding platform successfully negotiated several clauses within their existing collective agreement. This includes establishing a minimum salary floor and improving pay equity, codifying a 32-hour, 4-day work week, and setting up protections for its workers against the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to replace their roles. 

In particular, several protections have been set in place to prevent the reversion to a five-day work week. While temporary changes towards a five-day work week can be considered, the union has emphasized on the Kickstarter United website that these changes must be justified, with advanced notice and a time limit given to this arrangement. At the same time, permanent, long-term changes to a five-day work week must involve bargaining with the union. “ The union has stated it will strike “if management tries to force it anyway”. 

Kickstarter United has also won significant provisions to raise the workers’ minimum salary floor, such as increasing workers’ pay through a yearly national benchmarking initiative. This will see Kickstarter United’s most undervalued workers receive an average 6% increase in their salary under this new agreement. Work conditions, too, will be significantly improved, from guardrails implemented to prevent AI from replacing workers, to protections against replacing full-time employees with contractors. In addition, Kickstarter management must consult employees if AI will be used to a significant degree and impact any workers’ positions.

“It is through the solidarity and steadfast resolve of my coworkers and union that we achieved this victory,” said Dannel Jurado, Kickstarter United member, steward, collective bargaining committee member, and member of Local 153 Executive Board in a press release “For 42 days we sustained a historic and novel remote strike that won protections for the working hours we’ve already been doing for years, protections that continue to make Kickstarter the great place to work that we know it is. The workers fought for this victory and hope that it can inspire other workplaces and unions to not just accept the status quo but fight for a better workplace of their own.”

The amended contract also marks the end of a bargaining period that began in April this year. Previously, a Kickstarter United spokesperson shared with Rascal that Kickstarter management had resisted proposals to enshrine a four day work week, as well as establish a minimum salary. According to a post by the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153 on Bluesky, all of the union’s demands have been met — a hard-earned victory that came after months of negotiations.

“When we fight, we win and that’s what happened today for Kickstarter United,” said Nick Galipeau, Secretary-Treasurer, OPEIU Local 153 in a press release. “Progress takes time and while we never want workers to go on strike, we are thankful that the action by Kickstarter United members brought them the workplace stability they deserve. This was always about fair pay and stability for workers.”