Kickstarter United Rallies Against Retaliatory Firings

Kickstarter United (OPEIU Local 153) members and supporters gathered Friday on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall to demand the immediate reinstatement of union leaders fired by Kickstarter in what the union characterizes as illegal retaliation.

The terminations came just months after Kickstarter United secured a landmark contract following a 42-day strike in November 2025. The contract, ratified by an overwhelming majority of members, included a codified four-day workweek, strong protections against the use of artificial intelligence to displace workers, and an escalating salary floor tied to cost of living. It is widely considered to be one of the strongest labor agreements in the tech industry. On February 11, 2026, Kickstarter management announced the termination of four union members and the reassignment of several others out of the bargaining unit, offering no business-need justification for the decisions. The union has filed Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board and multiple grievances related to the company's use of non-union contractors and AI to undermine bargaining unit work.

At the rally, Kickstarter United members and other speakers including Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and CLC President Brendan Griffith called for the immediate reinstatement of all terminated union members and for Kickstarter to cease-and-desist this retaliation immediately. Read more in BKReader, follow the union for updates here and click here to sign a letter in support of the fired workers!