Microsoft enters labor neutrality agreement for Activision Blizzard workers
Eligible workers at Activision Blizzard will be freely allowed to engage in unionization, per the terms of a new agreement.
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What you need to know
Microsoft made a historic agreement with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) on Monday, committing to allowing Activision Blizzard employees to discuss and engage in unionization efforts.
The terms of the agreement will begin 60 days after the purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is finalized. This comes after Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer previously told Xbox Game Studios employees at an all-hands meeting thatMicrosoft would respect the Raven Software QA unitthat recently unionized.
“This agreement provides a pathway for Activision Blizzard workers to exercise their democratic rights to organize and collectively bargain after the close of the Microsoft acquisition and establishes a high road framework for employers in the games industry,”saidCWA president Chris Shelton, adding that “The agreement addresses CWA’s previous concerns regarding the acquisition, and, as a result, we support its approval and look forward to working collaboratively with Microsoft after this deal closes.”
The deal forMicrosoft to acquire Activision Blizzard— a purchase worth almost $69 billion — is currently undergoing regulatory approval, and is slated to be complete at some point in Microsoft’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
Speaking with The Washington Post, Microsoft president Brad Smith notes that Microsoft was not legally required to speak to Activision Blizzard leadership regarding the neutrality agreement. As such, Microsoft did not consult Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick on the terms of the agreement.
Smith previously outlined stepsMicrosoft would take in committing to collaborating with and engaging with unionsif employees expressed interest.
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Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter@SamuelTolbert.
