CWA Local 1123 Workers Host Rally to Demand Livable Wages at eBay/TCGplayer

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Today, over 60 CWA Local 1123 members were joined by elected officials, Citizen Action of NY, and the NY Working Families Party in Syracuse, N.Y., 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 continues to tout a net worth of $31 billion, the majority of eBay Authentication Center workers in Syracuse earn less than a living wage for a single person without children. The full report can be found here.

“Today’s rally is about more than just pay—it’s about dignity, respect, and being able to support our families. We come to work every day to make TCGplayer what it is today, but it’s impossible to make ends meet on the wages we’re earning. We, the workers of CWA-TCGunion, are sending a message to eBay: we deserve to be treated fairly and we deserve livable wages, and we won’t back down until we secure a contract that reflects that,” said Megan Wheeler, eBay worker and CWA Local 1123-TCGunion member.

“Workers in Syracuse have shown incredible strength in their fight for fair pay and dignity in the workplace. As one of the state’s largest employers, eBay and TCGplayer have quickly become a drain on our local economy by failing to pay workers livable wages and forcing them to rely on public assistance. eBay must bargain in good faith with its workers and raise the wages at TCGplayer, and I’m proud to stand in solidarity with CWA-TCGunion members in their efforts,” said Chris Ryan, Onondaga County Legislature Minority Leader and President of CWA Local 1123.

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.

“Over the past 3 years, monthly rent prices and costs for food have gone up significantly, while our wages have not increased a single cent. I joined this rally because I believe in worker power and our ability to demand reasonable, livable wages and better protections for ourselves and our loved ones. My coworkers and I will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to ensure that we get the strong first contract that we deserve,” said Zach Freeman, eBay worker and CWA-TCGunion member.

“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.

“Fair wages and rights in the workplace are assurances that every employee should have. This guarantees that workers can support their families, which is good for business and good for a thriving community. I encourage eBay to work collectively to make sure that the workers at TCGplayer are fairly compensated,” said New York State Senator John Mannion.

Photos from the rally can be found here.

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.

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The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion