What you need to know
- Raven Software QA developers have announced plans to unionize with assistance from the Communications Workers of America and the ABetterABK ABK Workers Alliance.
- The plans for the union, dubbed the Game Workers Alliance, have come following the strike Raven Software QA developers have been on since December due to Activision Blizzard denying 12 members new contracts.
- Activision Blizzard has reportedly used surveillance and intimidation tactics in an effort to silence workers.
- The developers are giving Activision Blizzard management until the end of Jan. 25 to respond before filing for union election through the National Labor Relations Board.
Update Jan. 21: Activision Blizzard management has responded, stating that it is "carefully reviewing" the request for voluntary recognition.
Quality assurance developers at Raven Software, a studio acquired by Activision in 1997, have worked with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the ABetterABK ABK Workers Alliance to form plans for the Game Workers Alliance (GWA) union. As reported by Polygon, the GWA represents the first time workers have formed a unit, with 78% of Raven Software's QA workers supporting the union according to a CWA representative.
Notably, several of Raven Software's QA developers have been on strike since December after Activision Blizzard denied 12 members of the QA team new contracts. According to a report from The Washington Post, the strike has no end date in sight, and the developers' demands have not been met.
In a news release, Raven Software QA tester Becka Aigner gave a statement: "Today, I am proud to join with a supermajority of my fellow workers to build our union, Game Workers Alliance (CWA). In the video game industry, specifically Raven QA, people are passionate about their jobs and the content they are creating. We want to make sure that the passion from these workers is accurately reflected in our workplace and the content we make. Our union is how our collective voices can be heard by leadership."
According to the CWA, Activision Blizzard has not been cooperative with workers. There have been reports of the parent company utilizing "used surveillance and intimidation tactics," which includes the hiring of "notorious union busters to silence workers." In response, the CWA has reached out to Activision Blizzard to encourage cooperation with the GWA so that the union can be officially recognized.
"We ask that Activision Blizzard management respect Raven QA workers by voluntarily recognizing CWA's representation without hesitation," Communications Workers of America Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens said. "A collective bargaining agreement will give Raven QA employees a voice at work, improving the games they produce and making the company stronger. Voluntary recognition is the rational way forward." Raven developers plan to file for union election through the National Labor Relations Board if management doesn't respond by the end of Jan. 25, Pacific time.
This news follows the recent bombshell that Microsoft plans to buy Activision Blizzard for Xbox, which would include Raven Software as well as all of Activision Blizzard's other subsidiaries. If the deal goes through in 2023, developers will report to the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer. Until then, Bobby Kotick will continue to serve as Activision Blizzard CEO, despite widespread calls for his resignation from workers and media outlets alike.
Update Jan. 21 — Activision Blizzard responds
In a statement issued to various media outlets, Activision Blizzard has responded by stating that it's "carefully reviewing" the request for voluntary recognition of Raven Software's union by the CWA. The company's full statement is below.
"Activision Blizzard is carefully reviewing the request for voluntary recognition from the CWA, which seeks to organize around three dozen of the company's nearly 10,000 employees. While we believe that a direct relationship between the company and its team members delivers the strongest workforce opportunities, we deeply respect the rights of all employees under the law to make their own decisions about whether or not to join a union.
Across Activision Blizzard, we remain focused on listening closely to our employees and providing the improved pay, benefits and professional opportunities needed to attract and retain the world's best talent. Over the past couple of years, this has included raising minimum compensation for Raven QA employees by 41%, extending paid time off, expanding access to medical benefits for employees and significant others, and transitioning more than 60% of temporary Raven QA staff into full-time employees."
