After Kickstarter United-OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) Local 153 Members won a resounding Strike victory, Kickstarter has retaliated and fired several key Union Leaders. A 42-day Strike was won in November 2025, after which the Union overwhelmingly voted to ratify a historic contract which included all their demands, including a codified four-day work-week, strong protections against Artificial Intelligence (AI) and an escalating salary floor tied to cost of living. But on February 11th (2026) Kickstarter announced the termination of four Union Members and forced several others out of the Bargaining Unit. However, the company failed to provide a business-need justification for the terminations. “The retaliation Kickstarter has taken against these Employees is unconscionable,” Shop Steward Zak Thompson said. “These are people who fought tooth and nail for a good contract for our Union and we're not going down without a fight here either. We're pursuing every avenue available to us to get them reinstated.” The Union has responded by filing Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and has filed several grievances regarding the company’s use of Non-Union contractors and AI to undermine Bargaining Unit work.

New York City Labor Council Editor’s Note: Support this Union by signing this petition or sending an e-mail to Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor at e@kickstarter.com.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Kickstarter RALLY to End Retaliation for Recent Strike Victory | New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO