Over 300 quality assurance employees from the ZeniMax Workers United-CWA union have successfully reached a tentative contract agreement with Microsoft. This marks the first official contract negotiated at Microsoft since the movement to unionize the video game sector gained momentum around four years ago.
“This is a monumental victory for all current video game workers and for those who will come after,” stated Page Branson, a Senior QA Tester at ZeniMax, in a press release regarding the agreement. A ratification vote for the contract is scheduled for late June.
Founded in 2023, the union was organized by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and was recognized voluntarily by Microsoft as part of the company’s commitment to labor neutrality. Over the past two years, the union and Microsoft navigated contract discussions that included a one-day strike in protest of return-to-office policies and outsourcing practices. In April, a strike authorization vote was also held.
Details of the contract provide insight into the objectives of workers throughout the industry and the victories they can achieve. According to a press release from the CWA, the contract ensures wage increases, a significant development considering that QA workers are often among the lowest compensated in the industry. Additionally, the contract will include protections against unjust termination and guidelines for crediting, which are crucial as many contributors to a video game can easily be overlooked in the credits.
While efforts to organize the industry are ongoing, there has been increased activity over the past four years. In 2022, workers at Raven Software, then a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard prior to Microsoft’s acquisition, established the first union at a AAA publisher. This landmark achievement sparked a wave of high-profile unionization attempts within the industry, particularly at Microsoft, which benefits from a labor neutrality agreement stipulating that the company will recognize union efforts. With ZeniMax workers achieving a contract agreement at Microsoft, this serves as another pioneering moment, setting a new standard for future negotiations in the industry.
