Blizzard QA workers in Albany are organizing Activision’s second union

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The studio formerly known as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 has become the second Quality Assurance department within the company to form a union.

Today, we announce a new union at Activision Blizzard.



QA is currently an undervalued discipline in the games and software industries. We strive to

foster work environments where we are respected and compensated for our essential role in the

development process. 1/5

— GWA Albany (@WeAreGWAAlbany) July 19, 2022

The group formed a union to address issues like competitive and fair compensation, healthcare, and establishing reasonable protocols to address demands ofcrunch time.

After workers at Raven Software organized, voted, and won their union over the course of the last six months, the second Quality Assurance department within the company has decided to join the union.

The organizing process began in December, around the same time Raven employees were walking out to protest layoffs, and that helped them understand what was happening.

There will be many things ahead of them. An unfair labor practice suit has been filed by the National Labor Relations Board against the company.

The company reorganized its members across different teams, petitioned to have the union vote extended to all of its employees, and raised the minimum wage for all of its employees.

Laven says her team isn't concerned by the actions of the company. We know that they have failed at union busting and will fail again.

Microsoft entered a labor neutrality agreement in order to respect the outcomes of the labor movement at the company.

There is a labor movement in the country. Workers at the lowest rungs of the company's hierarchy are starting to organize and win unions. With its reputation as some of the worst-treated workers in the video game industry, it makes sense for the company to join the union.

Laven said that he thinks the most obvious needs are forQA. Our pay is lower than other departments because we are at the end of the development process, and there is little room for career growth or sustainable living. As a result of collective action, the raises, full-time conversions, and educational opportunities the company is beginning to offer have come about. I think other departments are starting to organize as well, and that when they see our success and what we can accomplish it will accelerate their efforts.

According to Rich George, a spokesman for the company, it is highly unlikely that they will say so.

Our top priority remains our employees. We deeply respect the rights of all employees under the law to make their own decisions about whether or not to join a union. We believe that a direct relationship between the company and its employees is the most productive relationship. The company will be publicly and formally providing a response to the petition to the NLRB.

Laven thinks that there will be more unions in the future. She said she would be surprised if there weren't many other unions by this point.