The rising wave of mass layoffs in the game industry has led to an increase in calls for workers to unionize. Several months ago, before that call became deafening, workers at Raven Software, a Call of Duty studio, had already taken the bold step. They voted to unionize in 2022.
However, the workers are now accusing Microsoft and Activision of stalling over contract negotiations. The allegation was spotted in a report by GameFile. The workers filed the complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.
CWA president Claude Cummings Jr told GameFile that following “Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software”.
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“Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the Unfair Labor Practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”
However, when GameFile approached Microsoft, a spokesperson said, “We are committed to negotiating in good faith”.
The union formed by Raven Software workers was officially recognized by Activision Blizzard. The Game Workers Alliance was formed by a group of QA workers. It was the first labor union formed at a major gaming company in the United States.
The union was formed when Bobby Kotick was still the CEO of Activision Blizzard. At that time, Kotick said, “With the election having concluded, we will engage in good faith negotiations to enter into a collective bargaining agreement.”
“While first labor contracts can take some time to complete, we will meet CWA leaders at the bargaining table and work toward an agreement that supports the success of all our employees, which further strengthens our commitment to create the industry’s best, most welcoming and inclusive workplace, and enhances our ability to deliver world-class games for our players.”
Since the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has carried out a flurry of reforms in its gaming division, leading to the loss of thousands of jobs and studio closures. While unionization is unarguably a path to improving the welfare of game workers, the big question is whether the companies will continue to respect the union when the buzz has subsided.
