News

TCGplayer workers rally for livable wages and launch a report on poverty-level wages at the eBay subsidiary

Over 60 CWA Local 1123 members were joined by elected officials, Citizen Action of NY, and the NY Working Families Party in Syracuse, NY, for a rally in Columbus Circle Park to demand that eBay and subsidiary TCGplayer bargain in good faith and agree to reasonable contract terms, including meaningful wage increases.

The rally also coincided with the launch of CWA Local 1123-TCGunion’s “Tapped Out at TCGplayer” report, which provides shocking evidence that workers at the profitable tech giant eBay are struggling to make ends meet financially. While eBay CEO Jamie Iannone made $21.6 million in total compensation in 2023 alone, the majority of eBay Authentication Center workers in Syracuse earn less than a living wage for a single person without children. 

A CWA survey conducted of over 50 Authentication Center workers about wages and the cost of living in Syracuse, NY, revealed the following:

  • Wages for all the non-management workers at the Authentication Center are low, with a median wage of $18.25 per hour.
  • The majority (87%) of Authentication Center workers earn less than a living wage in Syracuse, NY, for a single person without children.
  • A majority of survey respondents feel financially insecure. 78% of respondents feel worried they will not be able to meet all of their financial obligations, and another 13% are “sometimes” worried.
  • The majority of survey respondents report delaying necessary medical care (57%) and buying groceries (56%) among their struggles with their low wages at TCGplayer.

CWA Local 1123-TCGunion workers won their union election in March 2023 and are the first group of eBay workers to win union recognition. In response to this victory, eBay and TCGplayer launched an anti-union campaign, hiring union-busting firm Littler Mendelson and engaging in a series of illegal delay tactics to avoid contract negotiations.

“Following TCGplayer workers’ successful vote to form a union last year, TCGplayer should stop stalling, stay at the table and bargain in good faith with CWA to forge a fair contract ASAP. I commend the union members of CWA Local 1123 for their steadfast determination to secure a fair contract over wages, benefits and working conditions. I believe businesses and our economy are most efficient and equitable when labor and management work collaboratively to craft fair and lasting contracts,” said Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer.

TCGplayer is one of the largest online marketplaces for verification services, card games, and collectible trading cards. Workers are responsible for ensuring that every shipment in and out of TCGplayer’s hub in Syracuse is completed accurately and meets quality standards.

Links:

CWA Local 1123 Workers Host Rally to Demand Livable Wages at eBay/TCGplayer (CWA, Oct 3, 2024)

CWA-TCGunion Launch “Tapped Out at TCGplayer” Report on Poverty-Level Wages at eBay Subsidiary (CWA, Oct. 3, 2024)

Double victory for first unionized eBay workers as TCGplayer recognizes union & commits to begin bargaining with workers (CODE-CWA, Aug. 15, 2023)