Cloud Imperium forcing mandated seven-day week on staff ahead of Star Citizen conference
The games industry does not help itself, does it? A multi-billion dollar industry that casts aside staff like old socks when it is done with them and then has the cheek to tell us we don’t own our own games anyway is certainly struggling to get much love right now.
Despite companies being called out for Industrial Revolution-style workhouse practices before, that hasn’t stopped Cloud Imperium – better known for Star Citizen – you know, the one that has raised over $700 million in crowdfunding alone and can charge tens of thousands of dollars for downloadable spaceships, from slipping out a cheeky little company memo telling them that they are all going to be working for up to the next 18 days solid as it “mandates” the next two weekends for everybody working on deliverables for the upcoming Citcon convention.
The memo, leaked to Insider Gaming, reads:
“All staff are to be in the office on Friday, October 4th and Friday, October 11th (typically a work-at-home day)
All staff are to be in the office on Saturday, October 5th, and Saturday, October 12th (for these days, the company will provide breakfast and lunch, with staff receiving company TOIL (time off in lieu) which can be stored and used for time off at a later date)
All staff are to work on Sunday, October 6th, and Sunday, October 13th (this can be a work-at-home day, but the company “encourages” people to be in the office. For these days and for those in the office, the company will provide breakfast and lunch, with staff receiving company TOIL, which can be stored and used for time off at a later date)”
Cloud Imperium’s swanky headquarters are located in Manchester’s Spinningfields alongside the city’s most expensive restaurants like The Ivy. Sexy Fish and Louis but it seems the staff won’t be given the opportunity to visit any of them as they will be too busy chained to their desks. Still, at least breakfast and lunch are provided, but no opportunity to spend time with friends and family. A bit like being in prison then.
Still, at least Star Citizen may come out eventually.
In the article, Insider Gaming goes on to highlight some more issues around Cloud Imperium’s working practices which are also not great. After IG reached out a further staff email was sent that reads, “I want to really thank everyone who will be putting extra time over the next two weeks, it will really make a difference at Citizencon, as we will show our very best.
“To show our appreciation, all those who will be in the trenches with us over the next couple of weekends can have Monday 21st October on the company as a free holiday.”
The UK Government website states that workers have the following rights when it comes to rest periods
Weekly rest
Workers have the right to either:
- an uninterrupted 24 hours without any work each week
- an uninterrupted 48 hours without any work each fortnight
It is unclear what contracts CI staff are on that might negate that ruling. We have reached out to Cloud Imperium for further clarification.
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