Members of the Activision Quality Assurance United-CWA (AQAU-CWA) union have voted to authorise a strike if necessary, claiming Activision has “failed to bargain in good faith over key issues” in negotiations for a first contract.
The AQAU-CWA’s bargaining committee entered negotiations with Activision in August 2024, after forming in March when over 600 QA workers unionised.
Microsoft voluntarily recognised the union under its labour neutrality agreement, which it entered into with the CWA in 2022. The CWA now represents almost 2,500 workers at Activision Blizzard.
“For two years, Activision has delayed and stalled negotiations rather than doing their duty to bargain in good faith with the dedicated workers who work on profit-shattering titles that the gaming community enjoys dearly,” said CWA District 7 vice president Susie McAllister.
Key issues discussed include wage increases, AI guardrails, contractor use, and workers’ rights to seek accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“The results of the strike authorisation vote send a clear message to Activision management: it is time to stop playing games because our members are united and prepared to do what it takes to win the strong contract they deserve.”
AQAU-CWA bargaining committee member and QA functional tester Jenna Huffman added: “Activision’s stalling at the bargaining table shows that they are not the high-road, union-neutral employer they once committed themselves to be and are instead aggressively fighting us in bad faith at the table.”
“Our members are tired of the stalling and are prepared to do what needs to be done to secure a fair contract, a fair wage, and fair working conditions for everyone.”
In response to the authorisation to strike, an Activision spokesperson told Kotaku that it “has been working in good faith with the CWA for the Central QA team and we have made meaningful progress on a number of issues.”
“Our goal is a fair first contract that supports our QA team members and the long-term success of the business. We remain committed to open dialogue with the union and have offered to meet again on October 21 and 22. We respect our employees’ right to engage in protected activity, including the right to strike. We have plans in place to ensure there is no disruption to players or upcoming game releases.”