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Raven Software QA workers are unionising, keeping Activision Blizzard’s week livelyA majority of QA workers at the CoD: Warzone developers are united
A majority of QA workers at the CoD: Warzone developers are united
Warzone Gulag + Loadout Drops = Best Battle Royale | My Fav Thing In (Call Of Duty Warzone Gameplay)Watch on YouTube
Warzone Gulag + Loadout Drops = Best Battle Royale | My Fav Thing In (Call Of Duty Warzone Gameplay)
Ina letter to Activision Blizzard leadership, the workers say that following the layoffs which started on the 3rd of December, “it has become apparent that the current working conditions have become untenable”. They complain about crunch, broken trust, poor pay relative to others, an expectation to relocate for new positions, and “the continued cultural and ethical conflicts currently circulating the company as a whole.”
“With a Super-Majority of Raven Quality Assurance invested in our organizing efforts, we have found it to be in our own best interests to push forward with unionization,” they letter says. “It has become evident that equity will never be achieved without collective bargaining power.”
2010’s Singularity, the last non-CoD game Raven made.
Activision Blizzard told Bloomberg they’re reviewing the request. They said in a statement, “While we believe that a direct relationship between the company and its team members delivers the strongest workforce opportunities, we deeply respect the rights of all employees under the law to make their own decisions about whether or not to join a union.”
If you’re curious, the GWA laid out their principles ina Twitter thread:
Sustainability: Shortened development timelines sacrifice project quality and damage the mental and physical health of our team. “Crunch” is not healthy for any product, worker, or company. Realistic timelines and development plans are essential to achieving sustainability in the games industry.
Transparency: Leadership must communicate openly and frequently about any decisions that will affect the working life of their employees. Work and quality of life suffer when changes are unpredictable and explanations are withheld.
Equity: Quality Assurance Testers deserve respect, appropriate compensation, and career development opportunities. Quality Assurance is currently an undervalued discipline in the games and software industries. We strive to foster work environments where Quality Assurance Testers are respected and compensated for our essential role in the development process.
Diversity: All voices deserve to be heard. Empowering underrepresented voices is key to fostering a truly creative and successful work environment.
Games industry unions have been growing and spreading in recent years because the industry is an absolute hole on so many levels, but this is quite remarkable. A union forming at such a huge company at such a pivotal time is wild. Good luck to ‘em!
The ABK Workers Alliance, a profilic Activision Blizzard employee group, have said Microsoft buying the companydoesn’t change their goalsand there’s still much to do.
