November kicked off with ten Image Comics employees announcing their intention to form a union by forming Comic Book Workers United. Working with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the CBWU laid out a list of goals they hoped to achieve, most of which involved greater transparency, direction, and organization within the publisher.

On Friday, Image announced they would not voluntarily recognize the union forcing it to go to a secret-ballot election for eligible members of the Image staff.

Image stated that they are “committed to working through this process” and that it will have “positive long-term benefits”. Though not positive enough to recognize the union?

The Comic Book Workers United have responded to Image, expressing their disappointment calling the election unnecessary. The ten staffers who have publicly signed with the Comic Book Workers United are out of the twelve total staff able to vote. That’s more than enough to create the union making the lack of voluntary recognition by Image perplexing. Denying the inevitable comes off as antagonistic starting eventual negotiations with the union on the wrong foot.

The Comic Book Workers United official statement:

As of 5:00PM today, Image Comics has failed to formally acknowledge our request for voluntary recognition. We are interpreting that lack of formal response, coupled with a Twitter post the company made indicating their intention to force us into a totally unnecessary election, as a denial of our request. This is disappointing, given that 10 of the 12 eligible staff members have already voted to form and publicly support our union, but we are strong in our principles and the pending election changes nothing.

It is not too late for voluntary recognition to happen. We are asking our community of supporters to continue emailing, writing, and tweeting that Image Comics can still voluntarily recognize the CBWU.

We’ll of course have more on this story as it progresses.