A group of quality assurance workers employed by Blizzard has created a union, making it the largest such organization in the video game industry.  The union has about 600 members, and it's open to taking on new members.

It's a momentous thing for the industry as it's rarely dealt with the collective rights of its employees.  In the past ten years, the gaming industry has grown a great deal in terms of its size and the profits it's making as games have become more mainstream and more lucrative.

The Relationship With CWA

 CWA is the union of the Communication Workers of America, and the Blizzard union is a member of it.  The formal title of the union established by the workers in the game development industry is Activision Quality Assurance United, and it has become a part of the CWA to utilize its collective bargaining rights and abilities.

This has greatly helped the workers when it comes to their relationship with the parent company – Microsoft since Microsoft signed a "Labor Neutrality Agreement" with CWA in 2022.  That agreement now applies to Blizzard workers as well.

Who Does the Union Represent? 

The new unit represents workers across a number of Activision Blizzard studios in California, Texas, and Minnesota.  Its formation means that over 1,000 unionized staff members at Microsoft are now represented by the CWA.  They worked on the games published by Activision Publishing, including franchises like Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, and Tony Hawk Pro Skater.

When compared to the second-largest union in the gaming industry- Activision Quality Assurance United is about three times its size.  CWA has already played a role in solving disputes between its members and the corporations they work for, so it will be able to do so for the Blizzard Workers.

Microsoft and Blizzard

 The relationship between big companies working in the world of video games is becoming somewhat complex.  That's one of the reasons many players prefer smaller online gambling games, such as the ones found here.  One of the most significant acquisitions in the gaming industry happened between Microsoft and Blizzard a few years ago.

Microsoft bought Blizzard outright, as well as all of its IPs, in 2022 for $68.7 billion.  It was Microsoft's most significant venture into the world of gaming, and it was especially important because Microsoft also produces Xbox consoles.

We maintained our commitment to remain neutral during the organizing campaign, and following this vote, we recognize the Communications Workers of America (CWA) as the bargaining representative for the Activision Publishing Central Quality Assurance employees," Microsoft deputy general counsel said.  "We look forward to continuing our positive labor-management relationship."

CWA Statement

CWA also came out with an official statement about the formation of a new union, and it's equally positive about its relationship with Microsoft.

"Microsoft continues to keep its commitment to let workers decide for themselves whether they want a union," said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.  "Time and again, other big companies in the industry have made the decision to undermine and attack their own employees when they join together to form a union.  Microsoft's choice will strengthen its corporate culture and ability to serve its customers, and it should serve as a model for the industry."

CWA Members

CWA members are pleased with the turn of events as well, as the decision to form a union was left to them and was a result of a formal vote.  The decision to have a union and make it a part of the CWA was put to a vote, and it won by a wide margin.

Quality Assurance roles are described as a way to get your foot in the door in the video game industry, but the truth is, at best, we get the internal job posting before the public does.  We're ready to grow our careers here and believe that having a strong union contract will set workers and the company up for success," said Kara Fannon, a union member.

Other Microsoft Subsidiaries

 Microsoft has also entered into similar agreements with other subsidiaries.  It has brought many companies working in the gaming industry together and made them a part of a broader Microsoft team while keeping their internal infrastructures.

CWA previously helped employees at Microsoft subsidiaries, including Raven Software, Blizzard Albany, and ZeniMax Studios, successfully unionize.

There were no issues with the Microsoft Corporation when it came to forming these unions and making them a part of the CWA.  This is in contrast to how Blizzard treated these companies when they tried to form a union before Microsoft bought Blizzard.

Blizzard used union-busting techniques that were widely reported in the media, which followed the gaming industry.  It was met with strong resistance by the workers.

What's Next for the Union? 

The union has a clear mission, which is to start negotiating with Microsoft about the collective rights of its members and to come up with contracts that will codify those rights.  In the long run, that will be its goal now that it's formed and recognized.

However, the first step will be to take a survey of the concerns and problems the union members are facing and come up with a policy towards Microsoft regarding those issues.  This is happening due to massive layoffs in the industry, and job security is one of the biggest concerns for those working in the industry.

Layoffs in the Industry

 Sega was one of the biggest gaming companies that faced the problem of layoffs, and it was managed somewhat by the relationship between the union of its workers and the company itself.  In this process, the union managed to save some of the jobs.

It has also created a severance package through the negotiation with the Sega Corporation that was more generous than was initially planned.

At Microsoft, ZeniMax QA union members were spared from a massive 1,900-person layoff in January.  All of this shows that unions have a role to play in the gaming industry.

A Change in the Gaming Industry

 There have been many changes in the gaming industry lately.  Tech advancements cause some, and others are by the changed attitude of younger players.  This has led to the rise of more casual games, and mobile gaming has increased.  There's also a lot of consolidation among the big corporations behind some of the biggest titles.

One of the changes that has also shown prominence is the increased interest in workers' rights in the industry.  This is seen in the creation of this union, as well as in the creation of many others in the last couple of games.

Conclusion

 Blizzard QA workers have unionized and created one of the largest organizations in the industry.  That organization is a part of a larger union working in the creative arts.  This comes after Microsoft purchased Blizzard.  The company has recognized the union voluntarily, and it will enter into negotiations with it.

At this point, both Microsoft and the union have said that the experience was positive and that they plan to work together to better the position of Blizzard workers.  It's an important milestone for an industry that doesn't have enough unions.