HomeWinBuzzer NewsActivision Quality Assurance Workers Form Largest Video Game Union in US

Activision Quality Assurance Workers Form Largest Video Game Union in US

600 Activision QA testers formed the largest US game industry union with CWA. This win could inspire more unionization

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Approximately 600 quality assurance (QA) employees at Activision Publishing have successfully formed a union. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) played a pivotal role in facilitating the unionization process, which saw the completion of the voting phase with the results certified on March 8th. This move marks the establishment of Activision Quality Assurance United – CWA as the most extensive video game union in the United States.

Support and Significance

The merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, finalized last year, alongside a labor neutrality agreement with the CWA signed in 2022, provided a conducive environment for the QA workers’ efforts to unionize. Tom Shelley, a technical requirements specialist and one of the union’s organizers, explained that these developments offered an unprecedented opportunity for QA workers to organize freely. He stressed the vital yet often underappreciated role of QA workers in the success of video game development, highlighting their traditionally lower pay and weaker protections. The unionization aims to address these issues by securing better labor protections for QA personnel.

The Broader Impact and Future Prospects

Microsoft’s voluntary recognition of the union reflects a growing acceptance of labor unions within the video game industry, which could inspire further organizing efforts both within the company and across the sector. Prior to this, Microsoft had recognized a union of 300 QA workers at ZeniMax Online, joining other unionized groups at Blizzard Albany and Raven Software. However, the journey towards unionization in the gaming industry has not been without challenges, as demonstrated by the CWA’s unfair labor complaint against Sega in 2023 for allegedly planning to phase out temporary employees part of an earlier-formed union. As the largest video game union in the U.S., Activision Quality Assurance United – CWA sets a new precedent for labor organization in the technology and entertainment industries.

Last Updated on November 7, 2024 9:49 pm CET

SourcePolygon
Luke Jones
Luke Jones
Luke has been writing about Microsoft and the wider tech industry for over 10 years. With a degree in creative and professional writing, Luke looks for the interesting spin when covering AI, Windows, Xbox, and more.

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