Activision Blizzard turns 1,100 testers full-time amid union pressure
pcgamesn.comActivision Blizzard has announced that it will convert “all US-based temporary and contingent QA team members” to full-time employees. Nearly 1,100 workers will be made permanent as of July 1, and the minimum pay for those roles will increase to $20 per hour as of April 17. These employees will be eligible for company benefits and bonus plans, as well.
The company says this move “follows the process that began last year”, when 500 temporary employees were converted to full-time status. At the same time, a dozen temporary QA workers were laid off from the Activision-owned Raven Software. Other employees staged a strike, demanding that the dismissed workers be reinstated, and that all Raven QA employees be given full-time status at the company.
These protests led to the formation of the Game Workers Alliance earlier this year, a union that still awaits official recognition from Activision Blizzard. Hearings between the company and the GWA have been brought before the National Labor Relations Board, which has yet to render a decision on how an official unionisation vote should be handled.
Activision Blizzard has made its statement and internal emails to staff public. You can read the full text below, courtesy of Call of Duty fansite CharlieIntel.
NEW: Activision Blizzard announces all US based QA testers will be converted to full time employees, access to full benefits, and a hourly wages increase to minimum $20/hr.
Statement from the company + internal email: pic.twitter.com/SWsD8aKfAW
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) <a href=«https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/status/1512103323515641867?ref_src=» https: www.pcgamesn.com rel=«noopener»>April 7, 2022
In July 2021, the state of California filed a lawsuit against Activision
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