Activision Blizzard workers are worried for their labor movement after Microsoft acquisition news
One of the big stories from late 2021 that has continued over into 2022 has been the ongoing strike at Activision Blizzard as a result of their dismissal of 12 QA workers at the Raven Software studio. As the strike entered its seventh week, a new obstacle was set before the workers seeking the reinstatement of the laid-off freelancers along with full-time employment for all freelancers at the studio. Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which has also been at the heart of multiple scandals over the past year, has thrown the future of the collective action into uncertainty.
Shortly after the acquisition was announced, multiple striking workers expressed concerns that their action would lose momentum in the chaos of the reshuffle. One QA employee, who goes Fabby_Garza on Twitter, was disappointed in Phil Spencer’s apparent change of heart regarding Bobby Kotick. In late 2021, the Xbox boss said that the company was “evaluating” its relationship with Activision Blizzard, only for Microsoft to purchase the company soon after.
Fabby_Garza went on to say “As a striking worker, I am incredibly disappointed, this does not inspire confidence in me that things will change or that our strike demands will be addressed.”
They weren’t the only ones to express concerns about the merger overshadowing the ongoing action against Activision Blizzard. Another striking worker, who goes by noctflugel on Twitter, said the staff at Activision were “super nervous” and “worried we’re going to be lost in the shuffle and just be told to deal with it.”
In a follow-up tweet, noctflugel said that employees have had “0 communication from any leadership since the strike began” which lines up with other reports that have come from the striking
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