Major Video Game Union CWA Calls For Regulators To Approve Microsoft's Activision Buyout

gamespot.com:

Major video game labor union Communication Workers of America urged the European Commission to approve the pending Microsoft-Activision merger. Representatives of the union sent a letter to the executive vice president of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager, ahead of the commission's closed-door meeting concerning the merger in Brussels.

The letter argued that the merger will have positive effects on labor organization within the industry. Accusations of a sexist and racist culture at Activision Blizzard emerged after the company was sued by the state of California. As the lawsuit continued, unionization efforts began across many of massive publisher's various studios. Workers at Blizzard Albany and Raven Software successfully formed unions.

However, union members alleged faced company-created obstacles before and after the unionization process. Additionally, the ironically named Proletariat saw unionization efforts falter after Activision Blizzard allegedly deployed aggressive anti-union tactics, such as holding meetings with the intent to demoralize employees.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has pledged union neutrality with the CWA, ensuring that once the merger goes through, workers will be free to organize, as is required by law. Microsoft also recognized the recently organized ZeniMax union.

CWA President Chris Shelton argued in the letter that the union itself could act as a stopgap against the increased employer power created by a merger. He wrote, «When the Microsoft acquisition was announced, we studied the implications for labor markets and raised concerns about the potential for increased employer power over workers that could worsen labor monopsony, leading to lower wages and less bargaining power over working