As a number of former Cards Against Humanity employees have come out with stories of a toxic work culture at the company, current workers have decided to unionize. The union, called the Cards Against Humanity Workers United Union, announced their intentions over Twitter this week, as reported by Polygon.
We, the workers, want to change Cards Against Humanity for the better. That’s why we’ve joined @CMRJB. Today we sent this letter to the owners of @CAH demanding voluntary recognition of our union. We’re optimistic they’ll do the right thing. #1u pic.twitter.com/idBXUKLIKk
— CAH Workers United (@CAHUnion) June 30, 2020
In the past few weeks, multiple former employees have aired stories characterizing a toxic company culture that enabled racism and sexism, with some allegations singling out co-founder Max Temkin. Temkin has since stepped down from the company, though he remains a one-eighth shareholder.
In one particularly harrowing story, comedian and former CAH writer and comedian Nicolas Carter ended up being held in a mental ward against his will due to the actions of his bosses. An earlier Polygon report into the workplace talked to 21 former employees of the company for a broader view of the toxic culture at Cards Against Humanity.
Now, the newly formed CAH union is working with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United to make sure their voices are heard.
“We work for CAH because we believe in the company’s ability to do good in the world. We believe in the power of transgressive comedy,” the Twitter statement reads, before continuing to the issues the union wants addressed. “For too long, our employees have been kept in precarious, powerless and outright toxic conditions.”
The union’s most concrete demand at present is the equalization of a workplace that employs many people as contractors, requesting that all contractors be given the opportunity to move to full-time or part-time employment.
In an update sent to Polygon, two employees involved in the unionization effort said they were optimistic that the company’s owners would do the right thing in recognizing the union.