Bethesda Game Studios developers "ecstatic" to announce a 241-strong "wall to wall" union

rockpapershotgun.com:

Late last week, 241 developers from Fallout, Starfield, and The Elder Scrolls developers Bethesda Game Studios announced a "wall-to-wall" union under the Communication Workers of America (CWA). Alongside Bethesda Montreal’s unionisation last month, and the union of Zenimax QA workers last year, this marks a historic moment in the US game industry labour movement.

"We, a majority of developers at Bethesda Game Studios Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, are ecstatic to announce the formation of our union with [the CWA]," the union announced on X. "As a democratic organization, we seek to empower the collective wishes of our studios' workers; having a safe, sustainable, and equitable work environment for all. Having a proper seat at the discussion table allows us to turn those wishes into reality."

The union has been recognised by Microsoft, though no contract has yet been finalised. "We’re thrilled to get down to brass tacks and win a fair contract," said CWA member Mandi Parker in a statement on the organisation’s website. "Our unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives, and the company as a whole."

The Bethesda Game Studios staffers join others who have successfully formed unions with the CWA, including Sega of America and Activision Blizzard. Earlier this year, the CWA filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against Activision QA supplier Lionbridge Technologies after they allegedly fired the entirety of a 160-person team in retaliation for union-related activities.

In August of last year, the CODE-CWA announced that there were more than 4,000 tech, game, and digital worker members in the CWA. It’s heartening to see that number growing, given months and months of firing, closures, and 'quiet layoffs' - in which companies effectively terminate vulnerable employees with return-to-office mandates.

In May of this year, Microsoft shuttered several studios, including Hi-Fi Rush makers Tango Gameworks and Prey studio Arkane Austin.