Activision Blizzard accused of making “futile” effort to disband Albany union

Unionisers at Activision Blizzard‘s Albany office have claimed that the company has taken “the low road” and is choosing to fight efforts to unionise, despite unsuccessfully trying to stop a union at Raven Software from being formed earlier in the year.

In July, quality assurance (QA) workers at Activision Blizzard’s Albany office – formerly Vicarious Visions – announced the formation of Game Workers Alliance Albany (GWA Albany), to fight for “an environment where our skills, ideals, & democratic decisions are valued and respected.”

Today (August 4), GWA Albany has posted a series of tweets that allege Activision Blizzard is attempting to “disband” the union and is making a “clear and conscious decision to deny us our basic labour rights.”

Almost every time this company has the opportunity to begin to repair its reputation and demonstrate that it respects its workers, it declines to do so.

— GWA Albany (@WeAreGWAAlbany) August 4, 2022

“Activision Blizzard’s management has once again decided to take the low road by choosing to fight against our union in spite of the fact that 95 per cent of us have signed union representation cards,” shared GWA Albany.

“After the failure to recognize the will of the workers at Raven Software, Activision has been given another chance to redeem itself in the eyes of not only its workers but also the public. There was reason to think this time could be different. Activision CEO Bobby Kotick had even sent a letter informing employees that the company would negotiate a contract with the Raven QA workers in good faith.”

“But in an unfortunate and unsurprising turn of events, the company has chosen to delay recognition of our union in an futile effort to disband it,” said GWA Albany.

After the failure to recognize the will of the workers at Raven Software, Activision has been given another chance to redeem itself in the eyes of not only its workers but also the public. There was reason to think this time could be different.

— GWA Albany (@WeAreGWAAlbany) August 4, 2022

In May, QA workers at Warzone developer Raven Software won a bid to unionise as the Game Workers Alliance. In the run-up to that unionisation, Activision Blizzard executives allegedly shared anti-union rhetoric, did not willingly recognise the union, and excluded unionisers from from a company-wide pay rise.

Looking ahead, GWA Albany shared that it remains “willing to engage with management productively if Activision Blizzard King leadership will commit to high road labour standards. However, if Activision continues its hostility, we are more than ready to go forward and win the formal legal recognition our union deserves.”

In other news, EA has backtracked on a controversial change to The Sims 4‘s modding policy.