WORKERS employed in the video games industry are to launch their own union branch this weekend.

Around 47,000 people are employed in the industry in Britain and most are subjected to zero-hour contracts and unpaid overtime.

They carry out work such as computer programming and development of games.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has organised the inaugural meeting of the IWGB Games Workers Unite union branch for the workers on Sunday to be held at SOAS, University of London.

The IWGB says the video games industry suffers “wide-scale exploitation.”

Game worker and founding member of the IWGB Games Workers Unite branch Dec Peach said: “For as long as I can remember it has been considered normal for games workers to endure zero-hour contracts, excessive unpaid overtime and even sexism and homophobia as the necessary price to pay for the privilege of working in the industry.

“Now, as part of the IWGB, we will have the tools to fix this broken sector and create an ethical industry where it’s not only big game companies that thrive, but workers as well.”

IWGB general secretary Jason Moyer-Lee said: “The game workers’ decision to unionise with the IWGB should be a wake up-call for the UK gaming industry. The IWGB is proud to support these workers and looks forward to shining a massive spotlight on the industry.”

The IWGB has been involved in successfully organising cab drivers at Uber and food delivery workers at Deliveroo in their fight to have their work terms and conditions improved.