For many, 2022 was the year of the labor union. Now, just a few days into 2023, it seems that movement isn't over. According to a January 3 announcement from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), a "supermajority" of game testers at Microsoft's
"We're thrilled to kick off 2023 in a workplace that's stronger and more equitable than it was last year," Senior Quality Assurance Tester at ZeniMax, Skylar Hinnant, said.
ZeniMax is perhaps best-known of its game publishing division, Bethesda Softworks, the studio behind beloved games like 'Elder Scrolls', 'DOOM', and 'Fallout'.
The vote for unionization at ZeniMax went on during December and included around 300 eligible workers. Quality assurance workers at ZeniMax are expected to make up the largest union in the video game industry to date.
"This is an empowering victory that allows us to protect ourselves and each other in a way we never could without a union," Hinnant continued. "Our hope and belief is that this is the year in which game workers across the country exercise their power and reshape the industry as a whole."
The unionization effort at ZeniMax was caused at least in part by Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of the embattled game developer Activision Blizzard
"Other video game and tech giants have made a conscious choice to attack, undermine, and demoralize their own employees when they join together to form a union," said CWA's President, Chris Shelton. "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."
Microsoft bought ZeniMax for $7.5 billion in 2021, and its vow not to get involved in labor organizing only legally applies to Activision-Blizzard. Despite that, insiders say the neutrality agreement reflects Microsoft's overall approach on unionization.
