Activision Blizzard Workers Form Gaming Industry's First Major Union

A group of workers at the video game giant have voted to unionize.

The National Labor Relations Board held a ballot count on Monday and it showed that 19 employees of Raven Software were in favor of joining the Communications Workers of America union. The results have not been certified by the board.

The first major U.S. gaming company would have a union.

The studio's games run well for users and the workers from Wisconsin make sure they are. They make up a small portion of the overall workforce but are important to the organized labor inside the company. About 30 workers would be represented by the union.

The Game Workers Alliance is a group of pro-union employees who say brutal schedules have taken a toll on their physical and mental health. They called for pay equity and more transparency from management, and cited cultural and ethical conflicts within the company.

The job cuts go against the positive culture that Raven has created over the years.

In the month after that, workers told leadership that a majority of them had signed union cards, and that they wanted management to start bargaining a first contract. Workers filed for an election after the company declined.

The labor board was asked to enlarge the bargaining unit to encompass more than 200 workers, a common tactic employers use to weaken union support. The board turned down the company's request, setting the stage for this month's mail-in election.

In the past few years, there have been allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination against the company. The company recently reached an $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, while the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing is pursuing its own lawsuit against the company.

The labor board was accusing the company of retaliating against pro-union workers, according to a report. The company denied the accusations.