Activision Blizzard workers plan walkout over dropped vaccine mandate

polygon.com:

Some Activision Blizzard workers will walk out of work Monday after the company dropped its vaccine mandate ahead of a return to work in the coming months. News of the relaxed COVID-19 plan was leaked on social media following an email from Activision Blizzard executive Brian Bulatao.

In the email, Bulatao said vaccines were no longer required for employees to return to the office, effective immediately. Activision Blizzard workers are expected to return to work offices in the coming months, though it will immediately impact those who are currently working from the office. Bulatao cited lifted vaccine requirements “across the U.S.,” as COVID-19 cases are spiking in Asia and Europe, according to Vox. Some experts suggest a new wave is coming — or already has begun — in the United States, the New York Times reported.

Following Bulatao’s email, some Activision Blizzard staff began publicly opposing the dropped requirement. The ABK Workers Alliance, a group that formed following Activision Blizzard’s initial sexual harassment lawsuit from last year and has managed multiple walkouts since then, announced the walkout on Friday — it’s scheduled to take place Monday, April 4. A representative for the group did not have an estimate number of participants.

The group is demanding Activision Blizzard reverse the dropped vaccine requirement, offer remote work as a “permanent solution,” and allow workers to make these decisions regarding work-from-home individually. Supporters and participants can follow the walkout using two hashtags: #SickOfThis and #GameWorkersUnite.

“As part of returning to office, Blizzard and Activision Blizzard held several feedback sessions and polls over the course of three months, at the end of which they