Over 300 staff vote in favor of unionization

The QA division of ZeniMax Media has voted in favor of creating a union inside its workplace partitions. Some 306 staff throughout the firm’s U.S. gaming division sought unionization inside a lately held poll, overseen by the Communication Staff of America (CWA).

ZeniMax Staff United has already been formally acknowledged by firm proprietor Microsoft, following a deal made with the CWA in June 2022 the place the union regulator supplied their approval regarding the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard acquisition in return for Microsoft on any proposed union motion — And thus, MS supplied no resistance and full cooperation concerning the ZeniMax group’s movement. The ZWU is now the biggest union within the world video games trade

Microsoft has lived as much as its dedication to its staff and allow them to resolve for themselves whether or not they need a union,” mentioned CWA president Chris Shelton in a press release to CNN. “Different online game and tech giants have made a aware option to assault, undermine, and demoralize their very own staff after they be a part of collectively to kind a union. Microsoft is charting a special course which can strengthen its company tradition and talent to serve its clients and will function a mannequin for the trade and as a blueprint for regulators.”

“In mild of the outcomes of the latest unionization vote, we acknowledge the Communications Staff of America because the bargaining consultant for the High quality Assurance staff at ZeniMax,” mentioned a Microsoft spokesperson of the vote. “We sit up for participating in good religion negotiations as we work in the direction of a collective bargaining settlement.”

Zenimax Staff United is the third union to kind inside a AAA developer throughout the previous 12 months. Again in late-November, Blizzard Albany’s QA division voted to unionize, regardless of fixed blowback from Blizzard administration. And in Might 2022, Raven Software program’s QA division additionally sought unionization, finally forming the Recreation Staff Alliance. Different studios, resembling latest Activision acquisition Proletariat, have additionally acknowledged their intention to launch union bids.

Good job, people. Let’s maintain the ball rolling.