Tim Thomas at Jacobin reports that for good or for ill, there is without a doubt more Magic (The Gathering) in the world than ever before: More Magic sets released each year; more forums for crafting decks; more tournaments; more card drops; an ever-present opponent to play against thanks to the digital version of the game, Magic: The Gathering Arena; and more Magic nights at local Game Shops. As Hasbro and its subsidiary Wizards of the Coast bring in record-breaking revenue through continuously expanding the commodification of our hobbies, Workers employed at New York City’s local Game Shops have taken a stand by Unionizing. In doing so, they are fighting the persistent Anti-Union narrative that to do work one is passionate about is adequate compensation unto itself. That Tabletop Game Workers would Unionize in the same parent Union as Starbucks Workers seems natural. As customer-facing service industry jobs, they are traditionally associated with low pay and paltry raises, often lazily dismissed as Summer jobs for students or “dead ends.” But in the post-industrial United States, these sorts of jobs are becoming increasingly common.

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