Top Stories
Microsoft videogame testers form company’s first U.S. union
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
By Daniel Wiessner
(Reuters) -A group of about 300 videogame testers at Microsoft Corp subsidiary Zenimax Studios have voted to unionize, the Communication Workers of America union (CWA) said on Tuesday, marking a first for the tech giant in the United States.
The CWA said Zenimax employees at four locations in Maryland and Texas voted overwhelmingly to join the union, but did not provide a tally. Zenimax owns major game franchises including The Elder Scrolls and Fallout.
Microsoft in a statement provided by a spokesperson said it would follow through on an earlier promise to voluntary recognize the union if the workers voted to join.
“We look forward to engaging in good faith negotiations as we work towards a collective bargaining agreement,” the company said.
Voluntarily agreeing to bargain allows Microsoft to avoid a formal election overseen by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board and the legal battles that often ensue.
CWA President Christopher Shelton in a statement said Microsoft has set itself apart from other tech companies that have discouraged union campaigns.
“Microsoft is charting a different course which will strengthen its corporate culture and ability to serve its customers and should serve as a model for the industry and as a blueprint for regulators,” Shelton said.
The company in June entered into an agreement with the CWA to remain neutral in union organizing campaigns at Activision Blizzard Inc, which Microsoft is seeking to purchase for $69 billion. U.S. regulators sued to block the deal last month.
Game testers at Activision units Blizzard Albany and Raven Software voted in 2022 to join unions amid claims by the CWA that the company has threatened and retaliated against union supporters. Activision has denied wrongdoing.
(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Collective bargaining is the process in which unions negotiate with employers on behalf of their members to reach agreements on wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Employee engagement refers to the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards their organization and its goals, often linked to job satisfaction and productivity.
A subsidiary is a company that is completely or partially owned and controlled by another company, known as the parent company.
A labor union is an organization that represents the collective interests of workers, aiming to improve their rights and working conditions through collective action.
Explore more articles in the Top Stories category
