ZA/UM, the team behind Disco Elysium and the upcoming spy-themed RPG Zero Parades: For Dead Spies (recently featured by Wccftech), has announced the creation of a labor union within its UK office. Named the Workers Alliance, the group is backed by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), marking it as the first formally recognized games industry union in the UK, per IWGB’s official blog and a GamesIndustry.Biz interview with staff.

Poppy Ingham, a ZA/UM UK marketing lead, emphasized the union’s purpose: “We’re committed to maintaining the studio’s distinctive culture while ensuring stability.” Declan Keane, a UI/UX designer, added, “Our collective strength through the union allows us to build on what makes this team exceptional. I’m eager to see the future projects we’ll create together.”

The move follows years of turmoil at ZA/UM. After the 2019 launch of Disco Elysium, internal conflicts erupted, leading to high-profile departures. Key figures like writer Robert Kurvitz accused CEO Ilmar Kompus of fraudulent practices, while Kompus alleged toxic conduct by Kurvitz and art director Aleksander Rostov. Legal disputes remain unresolved, and subsequent project cancellations—including a Disco sequel and an expansion—resulted in layoffs in 2023, as reported by Eurogamer.

Documentaries by People Make Games explored the studio’s upheaval, alongside the founding of new studios by former Disco team members. Current ZA/UM employees, many part of the original project but not its central narrative team, view the union as a safeguard against past issues. Ingham stated, “Our focus is fostering a supportive workplace where talent thrives. The union empowers us to advocate for necessary changes and protect our team.”

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