Activision Blizzard Task Force Votes to Unite in NLRB Elections –

Video game giant Activision Blizzard’s first task force, formally seeking reunification, has won the National Labor Relations Board election.

Nineteen QA testers at Raven Software, a Wisconsin-based subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, voted for the union in Monday’s vote, while three members voted against the union. The Preferred Transactions Division, supported by American Communications Workers (CWA), consists of approximately 21 quality control assessors based in Raven’s studio in Middleton, Wisconsin. (2 ballots were appealed during the ballot counting process). the hollywood reporter He watched the number of ballots via Zoom as they were counted at the NLRB’s sub-regional office in Milwaukee.

A Raven Software worker group called the Game Workers Alliance said in a collective statement on Monday that “now that we have won the election, it is our duty to uphold these core values ​​on which our connection is based.” The group added: “Our greatest hope is that our partnership will serve to inspire a growing workforce that organizes video game studios to make better games and create jobs that reflect our values ​​and empower us all. We look forward to working with management to positively shape our working conditions and through Activision Blizzard’s strong future union contract.

A spokesperson for Activision Blizzard said in a vote on Monday: “We respect and believe in the right of all employees to decide whether or not to support the union. We believe that Raven’s 19 employees should not make a major decision that affects the entire Raven Software Studio, which consists of approximately 350 people.”

At this point, the employer or union can still file a claim until May 31, but if there is no such protest, the union will be certified by May 31.

The Raven Software NLRB vote was a key test of whether the early unification movement in video games could outperform the AAA Video Game Studio. Prior to the vote, Raven was certified as an independent video game studio by Vodeo Games (manufacturer beast crusher), while Paizo, creator of tabletop role-playing games, also voluntarily recognized the Workers’ Union. However, the gaming industry as a whole remains in complete disarray. The CWA launched its Campaign for Organizing Digital Employees (CODE) initiative in 2020, in part to boost the industry, and represented the task forces of Vodeo Games and Paizo. IATSE is also trying to organize the industry with its campaign for the rights and protection of gaming workers (RPG).

Prior to the NLRB vote, Activision Blizzard presented several potential obstacles to the election, initially requiring that the proposed transaction unit include more than 90 positions (a move that could reduce union support). Activision Blizzard also sought to overturn the election, noting that “the nature of employer operations has fundamentally changed in a given institution”. (Just days after Raven Software workers announced their union offer, the company announced that it would convert all US-based temporary and full-time workers.) On April 22, the NLRB’s regional director allowed the elections to proceed. Once it was decided that the CWA negotiation department was relevant and that recent changes in the Activision Blizzard QA team did not disqualify the choice.

Now, Raven Software Group will begin negotiations on its first contract study at a time when organizational flow will be at its parent company. In January, Microsoft announced it would buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that would make Microsoft the world’s third-largest video game company.

In March, Raven Software QA tester Ona Rongstad said THR While there was a lot of “uncertainty” about the deal, “the union effort will be the same no matter which company is ultimately responsible.”

Also on Monday, the NLRB announced that the Los Angeles Regional Director upheld the allegations of unfair labor practices brought by the CWA against Activision Blizzard in 2021 and found that the employer had enforced an “overly broad” social media policy. The [National Labor Relations] Act by threatening employees when exercising Section 7 rights; Implementation of the social media policy; And threatening or disciplining employees for their agreed-upon protected activities.” While most unfair labor practices deemed deserved are terminated if no settlement is reached, the NLRB region is likely to file a grievance.

In a statement, an Activision Blizzard spokesperson called the allegations “false” and added, “Employees can and do speak freely about this workplace without retaliation, and our social media policy directly integrates the rights of NLRA employees. ”. The social media policy states that it “does not restrict employees from providing legally protected information, including, for example, the National Labor Relations Act in the United States,” the spokesperson added.