Done Playing: West Village Board Game Shop Demands Union Recognition

WEST VILLAGE, NY — Workers at this local group of board game cafes have one message to their boss: we're not playing around.

The Uncommons, a board game cafe in the West Village that claims the title as "Manhattan's first," has joined four other stores under similar ownership in calling for union recognition from the shops owners.

"This is not at all out of malice, we all actually love our jobs very, very much." said a worker during a presentation of their union petition in the middle of a busy Friday game night. "This is an effort to have our voices heard and a say in our working conditions and also make enough money to survive in New York."

"Woo, unions," one person could be heard shouting in the video, along with the sound of applause.

The petition, which they say is endorsed by the entire staff of eight, states that The Uncommons is "a staple of the community, bringing in business from thousands of NYU students, tourists and regulars who continue to come back because of the relationships we as staff have built with them."

Despite their devotion and enjoyment they have with working at the gaming cafe, the petition says that staff are frequently forced to work additional jobs just to keep a roof over their heads, and that a union would help retain workers and make "a workplace where we feel safe, valued and respected."

The petition asks for a minimum starting wage of $22.50 an hour plus tips, internal hiring for managerial positions and "immediate responses to the urgent health and safety concerns that arise within the establishment."

"Please respect our decision and recognize our union immediately," the petition reads, "instead of wasting valuable time and limited resources on fighting us."

"Working at the Uncommons has been such a pleasure, and it is amazing to get to bring in communities for the games we love and bring people together," said worker Casey Knepley

"What is not amazing is the fact that none of us can work here and support ourselves with how little we get paid. We are unionizing to get better support for us, collectively and as individuals, in order to keep being able to do the work we love."

Uncommons owner Greg May also owns Hex & Co with Jon Freeman, which has three Manhattan locations, while Freeman owns Brooklyn Strategist in Cobble Hill.

Both cafes have submitted union petitions in recent weeks and have so far not been met with a warm reception from management. The owners did not reply to a request for comment.

Hex & Co workers held a Union Square rally in support of their union in October.

Union efforts at all of the board game cafes are led by Workers United, the same group that has also organized over 350 Starbucks to date across the country.

Correction: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that May and Freeman both owned Uncommons. May is the sole owner of Uncommons.