Activision Blizzard Is Giving Over A Thousand Contracted QA Testers Full-Time Jobs

thegamer.com:

It's not often that a positive story comes out of Activision Blizzard, but it's being reported that over a thousand contracted QA testers are being given full-time roles in what will be seen as a big win for employees after their continued struggle to unionize. Not only that, but these 1,100 employees that are being promoted will also reportedly be getting a pay increase of at least $20/hour.

These details were first shared by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier who revealed the news on his Twitter account earlier today. The Verge then published a report with several internal emails from Activision Blizzard talking about the move, as well as a statement from Jessica Taylor, Activision Blizzard's vice president of communications.

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According to the statement, all of the publisher's US-based and contingent QA testers will be given full-time employment starting on July 1 with a pay increase to kick in on April 17. These employees will also be able to sign up for Activision Blizzard's bonus plan and will have access to "full company benefits."

"Across Activision Blizzard, we are bringing more content to players across our franchises than ever before" reads Taylor's statement. "As a result, we are refining how our teams work together to develop our games and deliver the best possible experiences for our players. We have ambitious plans for the future and our Quality Assurance (QA) team members are a critical part of our development efforts."

While this is a needed and much-deserved benefit for over a thousand employees, it likely won't halt the ongoing unionization efforts that Activision Blizzard is currently fighting against.