The workforce turns into the primary union at a serious U.S. studio

Raven Software program high quality assurance employees have now formally voted to unionize. The ultimate vote got here down 19 for, 3 towards.

The vote was held at this time, over a webcast stream. The group, Sport Employees Alliance, marks the primary union at a serious video games studio in North America and one in all only some round, together with Vodeo Video games workers.

Blissful union day! We received! pic.twitter.com/nzJ4A3J3RB

— Sport Employees Alliance ????#WeAreGWA (@WeAreGWA) Might 23, 2022

It’s a giant transfer, particularly as The Washington Submit reported that Activision Blizzard administration had been discouraging workers from voting in favor of the union. A Bloomberg report from earlier at this time says that the Nationwide Labor Relations Board is getting ready an official grievance except Activision settles. An Activision spokesperson denied the allegations in a press release to Bloomberg.

A protracted highway

It’s been a protracted highway for Raven workers, beginning with sudden layoffs on the finish of final yr. Employees at Raven’s QA division, which works on titles like Name of Responsibility: Warzone, held a walkout and ultimately went on strike calling for employee illustration.

The strike ended when the QA testers shaped a union, Sport Employees Alliance, underneath the Communication Employees of America. The union known as on Activision Blizzard for official recognition.

Activision Blizzard did lately verify it will be shifting lots of its U.S. QA employees to full-time positions. However the firm additionally stated it will not voluntarily acknowledge Raven Software program’s QA union, resulting in at this time’s vote.

The writer has been the topic of acute scrutiny for a while now. A lawsuit filed by the California Division of Honest Employment and Housing kickstarted a sequence of lawsuits and experiences.

Microsoft introduced earlier this yr that it plans to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. Microsoft instructed The Washington Submit earlier this yr that it will “not stand in the way in which” of an Activision Blizzard union.