Tag Archives: communications workers of america

Dark Horse’s Workers are Unionizing with Dark Horse Workers United

Posted on by Leave a comment
Dark Horse Workers United

Unionization is coming to Dark Horse Media, one of the largest comic publishers, with the launch of Dark Horse Workers United. The movement is asking Dark Horse interim CEO Jay Komas and Dark Horse leadership to recognize the union by June 3, 2026.

In their announcement the organization said a supermajority of staff, including staff from Things From Another World which Dark Horse announced its intention to close, have voted to unionize. They are working with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Local 7901.

If the union isn’t recognized by the June 3rd date, they will petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for an election.

A letter featuring 59 employees was provided explain the motivations for forming the union. They have stated they have 70 public supporters and more aligned but not public. The support comes from across multiple departments in the company who is headquartered in Milwaukie, Oregon.

We, the workers of Dark Horse Media, have come together to form one union, Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU), with our parent union, the Communications Workers of America (CWA). In solidarity we stand together to contend for our rights as workers, vote as a democratic body, and improve our material conditions.

Dark Horse was purchased by Vanguard Visionary Group in 2018, and then by Embracer Group in 2022. In March 2026, it was announced that its founder, Mike Richardson, was no longer with the company. It is currently being spun out by Embracer into its own company as part of Fellowship Entertainment, the latest in a rocky experience since its purchase in 20222.

The union is being formed on five principles:

  • Democracy: Our voices should be heard and valued, with fair representation.
  • Diversity: Our work environment and publication titles should foster an inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels respected.
  • Equity: We must collectively address each other’s individual needs, and work to reduce systemic inequality.
  • Solidarity: We are strongest together. We stand together.
  • Transparency: We are committed to safety and approachability in our work environment through clear communication and fellowship.

It also has stated three goals:

  • Improve job security, wages, and benefits by advocating and determining strategies for the improvement of the material needs of our workers.
  • Create a transparent and equitable workplace culture where all teams feel comfortable communicating with each other, and vital information is shared company-wide.
  • Acquire a seat at the table when critical decisions are made that will affect all stakeholders, including the workforce.

The union has also said that conditions and policies vary sharply between departments at the company due to siloed management practices. Disputes over remote work after the Covid-19 pandemic also led to the unionization effort. Cost of living is an issue with employees not being able to afford to live near the company’s office and being forced to commute and not being compensated for it despite the jobs being able to be performed remote. They are hoping to gain clearer, more consistent policies as part of the effort.

It’s the latest in the increase of Unions in the comic space. Hachette Book Group Employees announced their intention to unionize in April 2026, which followed Abrams Books employees in 2025, Seven Seas in 2022, and Image Comics in 2022. Seven Seas and Image’s unions are also with the CWA.

Seven Seas Will Not Voluntarily Recognize its Union. Puts it to a vote.

Posted on by

Last week news broke that the staff of Seven Seas Entertainment were making moves to unionize. Dubbed United Workers of Seven Seas (UW7S), 32 of the 41 eligible members have signed union cards. Seven Seas had the option of voluntarily recognizing the union or forcing a vote. They manga publisher has decided on the latter and have hired the anti-union/union busting firm Ogletree Deakins to guide them.

In a statement, Seven Seas said:

We respect the rights of our employees to choose or not choose union representation. While we have been requested by a number of employees to voluntarily recognize the CWA as their legal representative—without an NLRB conducted election—we have decided to respect the right of all eligible employees to vote on this issue. Since unionization would affect more members of staff than those who have already come forward, an election will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn about their rights and the details of this process before they cast their vote through a governed process.

We have notified the NLRB that we are prepared to move forward with an election among an appropriate unit of employees, and we will, of course, abide by the outcome of the election.

United Workers of Seven Seas (UW7S)

Seven Seas has said they have notified the National Labor Relations Board of the upcoming election, the next step for the formation of the union. More interesting Seven Seas also stated they believe more employees than those who requested voluntary recognition will be affected but didn’t go into details about that.

With 32 of 41 eligible individuals having signed union cards, the likelihood of the votes needed to form the union is high and Seven Seas is pushing off the inevitable. All that’s needed is a simple majority to be successful.

The union’s goals are:

  • Healthcare, paid leave, & pension benefits
  • Paid time off, vacation, & holiday breaks.
  • Increased wages & transparent increase structure
  • Reasonable workloads, no more crunch
  • Secure employment status for all
  • Protections & benefits for freelancers
  • Clearly defined job roles & organization chart
  • Training materials & onboarding
  • A robust scheduling & admin department
  • Management training for all managers & supervisors
  • An end to exclusivity & anti-freelance contracts
  • Anti-harassment/discrimination policies & process for submitting grievances
  • Bonuses & vendor gifts
  • Reimbursement for costs
  • Inter-department communication
  • Increase staff for overburdened departments

Many of the goals are similar to the Image staff and what’s interesting is a theme of lack of organization of procedure seems to be reoccurring.

In January of this year, Image Comics staff voted to unionize and have since filed a complaint over retaliation. In comparison, staff at Paizo Publishing, a game publisher, unionized in late 2021 and was immediately recognized by Paizo.

Seven Seas Entertainment Staff Move to Unionize

Posted on by
United Workers of Seven Seas (UW7S).

One of the bigger stories of this year is the unionization of Image Comics staffers in January. It now looks like another staff for Seven Seas Entertainment will be following them. The staffers have formed United Workers of Seven Seas (UW7S). With the Communications Workers of America (CWA), they are seeking recognition. It would be the first U.S. manga publisher to unionize. The CWA is the same union the Image staff, Comic Book Workers United, are a part of.

The UW7S website states,

The company has grown exponentially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But with rapid growth comes growing pains, and we, the workers of Seven Seas, have been shouldering much of that pain. We find ourselves overworked, underpaid, and we do not currently receive the benefits otherwise typical of the publishing industry.

With reported over 40 staff at the present, 30 have signed the statement on the UW7S website.

United Workers of Seven Seas (UW7S)

The union’s goals are:

  • Healthcare, paid leave, & pension benefits
  • Paid time off, vacation, & holiday breaks.
  • Increased wages & transparent increase structure
  • Reasonable workloads, no more crunch
  • Secure employment status for all
  • Protections & benefits for freelancers
  • Clearly defined job roles & organization chart
  • Training materials & onboarding
  • A robust scheduling & admin department
  • Management training for all managers & supervisors
  • An end to exclusivity & anti-freelance contracts
  • Anti-harassment/discrimination policies & process for submitting grievances
  • Bonuses & vendor gifts
  • Reimbursement for costs
  • Inter-department communication
  • Increase staff for overburdened departments

Many of the goals are similar to the Image staff and what’s interesting is a theme of lack of organization of procedure seems to be reoccurring.

Next steps would be the Seven Seas management voluntarily recognizing the union or requiring a vote which would be overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.

In 2021, staffers at the game publisher Paizo Publishing unionized under the CWA banner.