Union workers at Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 studio Raven Software have filed a complaint with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against parent companies Activision Blizzard and Microsoft, as reported by Game file (paywall) and covered by Game developer. The complaint, Game Developer writes, alleges “bad faith negotiations” and “concerted activities” – including “retaliation, dismissal, [and] discipline.”
Raven Software QA workers formed the union in 2022 at the FPS studio under the name Game Workers Alliance (GWA), with help from the Communication Workers Of America (CWA), after several layoffs. Even at the time, workers claimed they faced interference and opposition from management in attempts to “undermine” their efforts. It was a fairly complex back-and-forth with a restriction on who could actually vote. I recommend reading the coverage linked above to get the full story.
According to Game Developer, “the initial optimism that followed the studio’s union push has now dissipated,” as efforts to reach a collective bargaining agreement have resulted in even more stonewalling tactics from on high.
“Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would quickly move on to their first contract with Raven Software,” Claude Cummings, president of CWA, told Game File. “Unfortunately, that did not happen. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the unfair labor practice complaint and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”
Microsoft told Game File that they “remain committed to negotiating in good faith,” although the same report notes that Raven employees have “yet to make meaningful progress” despite several negotiations attempts since the union’s formation in 2022.
Yesterday we learned that 44 of the 95 employees of Greedfall 2 studio Spiders signed an open letter to their employers detailing various grievances, including unsatisfactory working conditions, lack of gender equity and equality, and “global mismanagement.” The workers have declared a strike starting next week. In response, Spiders management called the open letter “false and even defamatory allegations” that “do not in any way reflect the reality of the daily working lives of the company’s employees”
Last month, both Bethesda Game Studios and World of Warcraft employees formed wall-to-wall unions with the help of the CWA.