so it's been almost a year since I was let go as a contracted writer from Voltage USA bc we engaged in collective action. if anyone has any games writing job leads please hit me up! I'm a genre chameleon with a knack for dialogue, experienced w romance but excited to branch out!

for the sake of ongoing negotiations we were pretty hush hush on social media about what that went down but now that the dust has settled please let me emphasise how horrible it is to be dropped after FOUR YEARS without even a formal dismissal, just locked out of work folders

and all because you and your fellows banded together to ask for a less than 5 cent raise.

Four years, close to if not more than a million words written, hours of uncompensated time doing plot meetings, fleshing out narratives, doing story research, doing edits major and minor...

and because I supported my fellow writers and didn't scab, I got the boot with the "option" to individually re-negotiate my contract despite having no leverage. kicked out of work folders in a public mass not-firing, no contact from anyone i worked with at the company

and then they had the GALL to send me a christmas card last year as if I was still employed by them, even though I haven't heard a whisper since March of last year?

i've been applying for similar games writing jobs ever since and even after taking hours to do writing tests, only one company actually reached out to formally say they weren't going to hire me. ghosted by everyone else.

it's been a demoralizing year to say the least. and it makes me so sad because anyone who knows me, knows how much I loved working for Voltage, how much pride I took in my work there, how much care and heart I brought to my stories, how excited I was to collaborate w my producers

all for it to vanish without even a "thanks but no thanks" because my fellow writers dared to organize in the hopes of negotiating an across the board raise of PENNIES.

when VOW got together and engaged in strike action, I hadn't actually had a contract for several months after my last character/storyline didn't sell well and his story was cancelled. I had nothing to personally gain, but I signed my name because it was the right thing to do

i'm still supportive of my fellow writers and am happy that the ones who stayed on were able to negotiate better contracts thanks to our collective action. I'm proud I played a small part in something that important.

but wow does it ever suck still being jobless a year freakin' later

i now realize this thread is probably not the greatest advertisement to potential future employers but WOW i have been holding that in for a very long time and it feels good to be honest about my feelings.