Activision Blizzard's Raven Software workers vote to form industry's first union

Also: Raven Software QA workers win union vote (Polygon)

______________________________________________________________________

Source: The Guardian and agencies

Activision Blizzard’s Raven Software workers vote to form industry’s first union

The vote marks a victory for labor advocates in an industry mired with allegations of abuse and poor working conditions

Kari Paul and agency
Mon 23 May 2022 21.54 BST
Last modified on Mon 23 May 2022 22.04 BST

Workers in a division of video game company Activision Blizzard have voted to unionize, creating the first labor union at a major US gaming firm.

A small group of Wisconsin-based quality assurance testers at Activision Blizzard’s Raven Software, which develops the popular Call of Duty game franchise, voted 19-3 in favor of unionizing on Monday.

Though the group of about 20 workers represents a small portion of the company, which employs nearly 10,000 workers globally, the vote marks a symbolic victory for labor advocates in an industry increasingly mired with allegations of abuse and poor working conditions.

The unionization campaign by employees at Raven’s office had been part of a broader internal shakeup at Activision Blizzard, a Santa Monica, California-based gaming giant, after it was sued by California’s department of fair employment.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/may/23/activision-blizzard-raven-software-union-vote

______________________________________________________________________

Source: Polygon

Raven Software QA workers win union vote

National Labor Relations Board vote count certifies Activision’s first games development union

By Nicole Carpenter@sweetpotatoes May 23, 2022, 3:34pm EDT

Workers at Raven Software responsible for quality assurance on Call of Duty: Warzone voted Monday in favor of forming a union, the first of its kind at publisher Activision Blizzard. The nearly 30-person group mailed ballots to the National Labor Relations Board in April leading to an official count on Monday. Nineteen workers voted “yes” on the vote, with three votes against the union.

The group, called Game Workers Alliance, will move into contract negotiations with Activision Blizzard (which Microsoft plans to acquire as part of a $68.7 billion deal), supported by the Communications Workers of America’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA).

Activision Blizzard has not responded to Polygon’s request for comment.

Raven Software QA workers began their union drive in January following a weekslong strike. Activision Blizzard announced a reorganization of QA workers in January, moving QA testers into “embedded” positions within other departments, a move that CWA organizing director Tom Smith called “nothing more than a tactic to thwart Raven QA workers who are exercising their right to organize.” Activision Blizzard denied that characterization, saying it was a “carefully considered” change that “brings Raven into alignment with the best practices of other prominent Activision studios.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.polygon.com/23137782/raven-software-activision-blizzard-qa-union-win