Half of the Steel Division studio are on strike
Almost half of Eugen Systems employees have gone on strike, saying the company has failed to comply with French labor laws and broken contractual agreements over the past 15 months.
While you think about what went wrong, have a look at our list of the best PC strategy games.
According to a statement released through Le Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo, the French videogame workers’ union, the group of 21 striking employees say Eugen has reduced salaries below France’s minimum wage requirements, failed to provide compensation for overtime, and have created a crunch culture at the company, which this week released the Back to Hell expansion for Steel Division: Normandy 44.
Eugen has responded with a statement of their own, denying the existence of crunch at the company but acknowledging some pay issues with individual workers, saying these were the result of problems stemming from recent French payroll reforms. They say they're open to communicating with the striking workers.
Based in Paris, Eugen was founded in 2000 and employs 44 developers. Their games include RUSE, Act of Aggression, and the Wargame series of RTS titles.
So the company is trying to conduct business American-style in France in other words.
Spot on, only their employees seem to have the self-respect and determination to demand more and for their employer to comply with the law.
Maximum work hours is 35 work hours per week in France, lowest you can find. You cannot compete with other companies with this work hours. It is quite understandable employers to ask people to work ekstra. Or move to another country, which I would do.
I'm sorry but you don't know what you're talking about. France is one of the most productive countries in the world and more productive than the United States, arguably *because* French workers have pressed their rights and are thus not treated like dirt without impunity by their employers.