Workers at TCGPlayer Become First Group at eBay to Form Union with Communications Workers of America

(Syracuse, NY) — A supermajority of workers at TCGPlayer’s authentication center have announced that they are forming the TCG Union/CWA and have filed for a union representation election with the National Labor Relations Board. TCGPlayer is the number one online marketplace for collectible trading cards and was acquired by eBay in November 2022. TCGPlayer workers are the first group of eBay workers to file for a union representation election with CWA. 

“We are ready to unlock the full potential we know TCGPlayer can have. By forming a union, we are able to support each other, customers, and sellers to create the best TCGplayer for all of us. We are incredibly passionate about our work, but passion can only get us so far. We want to see our collective health and well-being thrive because for many of us, this is the best job we have ever had,” said Jennifer Bonham, Shipping Generalist at TCGPlayer 

The current unit includes all 282 non-supervisory workers within the AC, including Generalists and Specialists across the Sorting, Pulling, Receiving, Shipping, Operations, Research and Development, Inventory, Comics, Quality, and Training departments. These workers are physically responsible for ensuring that every shipment in and out of TCGPlayer is completed accurately and that they match quality standards.

“It's been immensely fulfilling to talk to my coworkers over the last few months and realize that we do deserve a say in our workplace conditions. Forming a union is a way for us to have an equal say in the decisions that affect us and ensure our voices are not ignored. By coming together as TCG Union/CWA, we can cultivate strong protections for our colleagues and make TCGplayer a truly great place to work,”said Paul Neri, Shipping specialist at TCGPlayer 

The goals outlined in the TCG Union/CWA Vision Statement include:

• Wages that account for cost of living and cost of inflation, not just cost of labor, as well as an end to pay caps.

• A fair and comprehensive Sick Leave and Absence policy that does not punish people for factors they cannot control.

• Just cause and clear grievance and discipline procedures, applied equally to management. This includes the end of targeted retaliation using PIPs and write-ups that prevent workers from advancing in the company. 

• Inclusive opportunities for advancement and fair and transparent hiring practices. 

• Clear job expectations and duties, and the proper resources and training to successfully complete their tasks. 

• A seat at the table so workers can have a say in changes that occur and therefore increase transparency about these changes.

“I’ve been around TCGPlayer workers since the early stages of their organizing and have witnessed their dedication to each other and to improving standards for the warehouse and card selling industry by forming their union,” said Executive Vice President Nikki Penner, CWA Local 1123. “ A collective bargaining agreement will not only give TCG workers the safeguards and protections they deserve, but a voice on the job to create positive change for other workers in this industry to follow.”

TCGPlayer maintains a positive reputation in the card selling community and advertises itself as among the best workplaces. However, the only way to ensure that all workers’ voices are heard is collective action. TCG Union/CWA follows in the footsteps of United Paizo Workers, Bellevue Mox Organized Workers and Noble Knight Games United in organizing for dignity and respect on the job. 

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The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.