Raven QA strike ends, at least for now
The employee group, A Better Activison-Blizzard King, says the move is a gesture of good faith in moving forward with management.
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Following theformation of a new unionby Raven Software QA workers last week, the established employee advocacy group atActivision-Blizzard, A Better ABK, hasannounced the endof Raven QA’s nearly two month-long strike, at least for the time being.
In parallel with theongoingcontroversyover endemic sexual harassment at multiple Activision-Blizzard studios, Quality Assurance workers at Raven Software, developers of Call of Duty: Warzone,walked off the joblate last year in response to surprise layoffs in the division despite Warzone’s continued success and profitability. Their dispute has become part of the wider struggle with upper management at the embattled corporation, with workers at other studiosstriking in supportof Raven QA.
A Better ABK wasquick to clarifythat this move was a gesture of good faith pending Activision-Blizzard’s own accommodation of the union, the Game Workers Alliance. GWA already has a deadline of January 25 in place for Activision-Blizzard’s voluntary recognition, after which they intend to file for election with the National Labor Relations Board, escalating the process and forcing recognition in the event of a successful election.
Please no not misquote here media: we have asked to be recognized under GWA, pending refers to pending response from leadership. Either positive or negative. We are acting in good faith and asking for good faith. https://t.co/H8dOjsaXjOJanuary 23, 2022
It’s unclear if A Better ABK and GWA intend to reinstate the strike immediately if Activision-Blizzard does not meet their deadline, but they do seem to be reserving the right for future labor action. Activision-Blizzard management has thus farbeen dismissiveof the effort and resistant to the idea of collaboration.
Activison-Blizzard’s story took yet another turn recently with theirsurprise acquisition by Microsoft. It’s unclear how the merger will change the corporation’s managerial practices or impact the unionization effort.
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Ted has been thinking about PC games and bothering anyone who would listen with his thoughts on them ever since he booted up his sister’s copy of Neverwinter Nights on the family computer. He is obsessed with all things CRPG and CRPG-adjacent, but has also covered esports, modding, and rare game collecting. When he’s not playing or writing about games, you can find Ted lifting weights on his back porch.
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