Allegations of Union Busting Against TCGPlayer, Owned by eBay

By | Niranjan Bhargav 27 Mar, 2023

TCGPlayer, one of the largest online marketplaces for trading card games, has been hit with allegations of union busting following the recent vote to unionize by its New York-based warehouse staff. TCGPlayer collaborates with game stores across the US and has grown in popularity over the years, making headlines when eBay acquired it for nearly $300 million last year.

The National Labor Relations Board has received several complaints from TCGPlayer employees, alleging that management interfered with unionization efforts and targeted pro-union individuals. The most recent criticism was sparked by the firing of a key organizer in the warehouse staff’s unionization efforts, causing many staff members to feel that TCGPlayer is attempting to suppress unionization.

The Concerns Raised by the eBay Purchase

Fans of TCGPlayer and its competitors have voiced concerns that Ebay is attempting to become a monopoly in the online trading card game space. TCGPlayer was one of the largest online marketplaces for trading card games when it was purchased, with an in-house staff of almost 700 employees. TCGPlayer currently boasts over 25,000 sellers on its website, including individual collectors and nearly 1500 local game stores.

We won our union four days ago, and have the right to representation at any investigatory meeting which we believe could result in disciplinary action or termination. This decision by management emphasizes the need to negotiate for a just cause termination clause in our contract
— TCGunion-CWA (@TCGunionCWA) March 15, 2023

The Potential Impact on TCGPlayer’s Business

These allegations of union busting come at a critical time for TCGPlayer, with some of the most popular games in the trading card game industry gearing up for major releases. The upcoming release of “Pokemon Trading Card Game Classic” and the collaboration between Magic: The Gathering and Lord of the Rings have been highly anticipated by fans.

The accusations of union busting against TCGPlayer have cast a dark shadow over the prominent online TCG storefront, causing concerns for customers and employees. The outcome of the ongoing investigation by the National Labor Relations Board will have significant implications for TCGPlayer’s business and its relationship with Ebay.

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