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According to a recent press release from Communications Workers of America (CWA), the Quality Assurance workers at Raven Software, of Activision Blizzard, have decided to unionize with their organization. The statement comes on the heels of the nearly $70 billion deal of Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard that was announced last Tuesday.
Raven Software and Activision employees have been embroiled in strikes and walkouts in the past year - protesting against the work environment that was perpetrated at their company. The most recent walkout in December was done against the termination of the contracts of 12 QA testers. The latter took place on December 3.
Using the hashtag #WeAreRaven, they have been joined in solidarity by workers from QATX, QAMN, and Blizzard QA. According to renowned journalist Jason Schreier, their move to unionize "marks the first-ever union in the big-budget video game industry in North America."
The ongoing strike by QA testers of Raven Software, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, results in them unionizing
The group of workers, identifying as the Game Workers Alliance, holds a "supermajority," according to Becka Aigner - one of the QA testers, of Raven Software. The QA workers team has a total number of 34 members. The studio is famous for helping create the Call of Duty games under the Activision banner.
The group of workers have asked the parent company to voluntarily recognize this decision, which at the moment seems like an unlikely scenario. If Activision Blizzard refuses any such recognition, they would have to "force a vote among employees, which would be overseen by the National Labor Relations Board," according to The New York Times report on the matter.
Activision Blizzard has been riddled with allegations and accusations of a hostile and inappropriate work environment. In light of said allegations, the company faces investigations and lawsuits from the authorities. With growing unrest and no end in sight, the video game giants have found themselves justifiably called out and shunned.
According to many, the deal with Microsoft is a way out for the company to not be held accountable for the environment they have fostered. Microsoft has assured that they will be working hard to create a fair and just workplace, but for now, Bobby Kotick will remain as Activision Blizzard CEO until the transition of the deal is complete.
The move to unionize by the QA testers of Raven Software will send ripples across the video game industry that has often been accused of underpaying and overworking their employees whilst sustaining an uncomfortable and hostile workplace culture. The recent movements of workers uniting, and even unionizing, offer a glimmer of hope against this.
