The union representing Wizards of the Coast employees broadens its scope, urging the company to cease its promotion of generative AI

Employees working on Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast are forming a union, urging Hasbro and its subsidiary to cease advocating generative AI technologies.

IGN reports that the Wizards of the Coast-CWA (UWOTC-CWA) is broadening its scope to welcome the D&D department and Team X, responsible for Magic: The Gathering and Duel Masters. The deadline for Wizards to acknowledge this expanded union is October 13.

The company had previously not acknowledged the union when it applied only to the Arena team, which successfully unionized in April and subsequently won its election. Should Hasbro refuse recognition again, the union would proceed with the National Labor Relations Board for another electoral process.

The union's petition articulates: "Leadership has pushed for LLMs and generative AI usage, disregarding our team’s preferences. We demand a strict AI policy reflecting our principles."

Further demands include retaining rights to employees' external creative work, echoing their April declaration. The letter emphasizes: "Hasbro may claim any creative work done during personal time, but such work should remain ours and not be company-owned."

In May, both Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro overlooked a deadline to acknowledge a union of Magic: The Gathering Arena developers. Later, Wizards of the Coast cautioned employees via a letter that unionization might result in obtaining "more, the same, or less" benefits and stressed that "direct voices are most impactful."