A group of quality assurance employees at Raven Software, an Activision Blizzard (ATVI)-owned game studio that works on the company’s popular “Call of Duty” game series, voted on Monday to form a union that they are calling it the Game Workers Alliance. The union will represent 28 workers, 19 of whom voted in favor of unionization, according to Communications Workers of America (CWA), which has been supporting the effort.
“Our greatest hope is that our union will serve as an inspiration to the growing movement of workers organizing in video game studios to create better games and build workplaces that reflect our values and empower us all,” alliance members said in a shared statement. by CWA. “We look forward to working with management to positively shape our working conditions and the future of Activision Blizzard through a strong union contract.”
The union vote follows months of tensions between Raven and Activision Blizzard over the recent layoffs. In December, dozens of software workers at Raven virtually quit work after Activision Blizzard laid off 12 quality assurance testers for their unit. Since then, some of the workers have continued to strike, calling for the reinstatement of laid-off workers, as well as the hiring of long-time contractors as full-time employees.
“We respect and believe in the right of all employees to decide whether to support or vote for a union,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson told international website CNN Business when asked about the union vote. “We believe that a major decision that will affect the entire Raven Software studio of approximately 350 people should not be made by 19 Raven employees.“
The union initiative marks the latest effort by Activision Blizzard workers to demand better working conditions. Last July, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging a “frat boy” work culture where multiple female employees were subjected to gender discrimination, sexual harassment and unequal pay. (The company told CNN at the time that it had addressed misconduct in the past and criticized the process as “inaccurate” and “distorted.”)
The process ushered in a period of turmoil for the company, including layoffs, executive changes and pressure on the CEO to step down. Activision Blizzard continues to face scrutiny from regulators as well as backlash from employees.
The National Labor Relations Board “found merit” in allegations that Activision Blizzard retaliated against employees seeking to unionize and used an “exaggerated social media policy” to prevent workers from speaking out online about wages, hours and working conditions. , NLRB spokeswoman Kayla Blado said in a statement. If Activision Blizzard fails to reach an agreement with the NLRB, the agency will issue a formal complaint, Blado added.
“These claims are false,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said in a statement. “Employees can and do speak freely about these workplace issues without retaliation, and our social media policy expressly incorporates the rights [trabalhistas] of employees”.
On Tuesday, the day after the Raven union vote, a group of current and former Activision Blizzard employees announced the formation of a Workers Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination. The committee aims to “ensure that company management fulfills its obligations … to prevent workplace harassment, discrimination and retaliation,” according to a press release shared with CNN Business by a representative of the group.
The group also released a list of demands, including an end to mandatory arbitration, protection from retaliation against employees who bring complaints of harassment or discrimination, additional support for transgender employees, and 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Employees are also demanding more support for lactating mothers – including safe access to a lactation room and proper storage equipment – following allegations that breast milk in Activision Blizzard’s lactation rooms was stolen and that employees were using refrigerators. intended for breast milk to store beer.
Activision Blizzard said it has increased lactation sites in its offices, improved equipment quality and safety, and added new locks to all refrigerators, as well as taking steps to meet other employee demands.
“We… already upgraded our lactation facilities, waived arbitration, hired new leaders [de diversidade e inclusão] and we collaborate with employees to make our policies and processes more trans-inclusive, just to name a few issues the letter raises,” the statement said. said the company spokesman. “We thank these employees and will continue to work with all our employees on our journey to be a better company.”
Ongoing tensions with employees occur as the company prepares for a major transition. Earlier this year, Microsoft (MSFT) agreed to buy Activision Blizzard for nearly $70 billion, making it one of the biggest technology acquisitions in recent years. Microsoft has had its own challenges with workplace culture, including allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior from its founder and former CEO Bill Gates starting in the 2000s.
This article is a translation of the writing by Rishi Iyengar to the CNN Business.
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