2022年7月19日

《華盛頓郵報》工作室是最新加入視頻遊戲行業的勞工組織波(華盛頓郵報插圖;iStock)分享暴雪奧爾巴尼,動視暴雪旗下的視頻遊戲開發商,是上市的工會化的努力。Albany-based質量保證團隊工作室原名替代願景-單元由約20名員工已申請國家勞工關係局工會選舉。上周四,工人們要求動視暴雪管理主動承認聯盟。“我堅信,擁有聯盟會給我們力量,我們需要使我們的工作更好,“阿曼達Laven說,暴雪奧爾巴尼副測試分析師在接受《華盛頓郵報》采訪時說。“這是非常令人興奮的上市,希望能夠激勵他人的方式我們一直受烏鴉,星巴克和亞馬遜的工會已經在我們麵前。“廣告工人請求由動視暴雪承認,雖然該公司並未指定是否認識到工會。“我們深深尊重所有員工的權利在法律麵前自己做決定是否加入工會,“豐富動視暴雪發言人喬治在一份聲明中寫道。“我們認為,公司和員工之間的直接關係是最富有成效的關係。公司將公開和正式提供一個響應NLRB的請願書。“替代異象在4月正式與動視暴雪合並。還因其特許經營包括吉他英雄和崩潰袋狸。 The studio took cues from the organizing campaign at Raven Software, Madison, Wis., where 28 quality assurance testers won their bid for a union in May. Advertisement “Raven has been a huge inspiration to us,” Laven said. “Seeing their process, it’s been demystifying to see them do it first and have an idea of how things go and how the company might respond. … We’ve already gotten to see some someone do it in our own company, and they’ve been very forthcoming with us talking to us about what things are like and what problems they encountered. It’s been very, very helpful and inspiring.” Brock Davis, an associate test analyst at Blizzard Albany recalled how years ago, when he was interested in joining the video game industry but had not yet started working in it, people had been buzzing about organizing. “In 2017, I went to GDC, and they were talking about unionizing then,” Davis said, referring to the Game Developers Conference. “And now we encourage more people who feel undermined by their company to stand up and start something.” Advertisement The Albany workers looking to unionize call themselves Game Workers Alliance Albany. The workers chose the name Game Workers Alliance, rather than a more specific name referring to their studio or department, so that other parts of the company and other games workers across the country could join. To do so, those other divisions at Activision Blizzard would need to collect a majority of union authorization signatures and then vote in favor of joining the GWA. “The only way to get a raise above inflation is to take a job at a totally different company,” said a Blizzard Albany employee who is not a quality assurance tester, speaking on the condition of anonymity citing fear of retaliation. “If the executives at ABK want their workers to be productive, engaged and invested in the success of their workplace, they must recognize and bargain in good faith with unions. Workers deserve to be treated well and compensated fairly for the work they do, and for too long this has not been the case at Activision Blizzard.” Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would acquire Activision Blizzard in a nearly $69 billion all-cash deal, pending regulatory approval. The tech giant has said it would respect unionization efforts when the deal is completed. To that end, Microsoft entered a labor neutrality agreement with the major media union Communications Workers of America, which has been organizing video game workers across the industry. Advertisement The agreement “means that we don’t try to put a thumb on the scale to influence or pressure [our employees],” Microsoft president Brad Smith told The Washington Post in June. “We give people the opportunity to exercise their right to choose by voting. … it’s something that’s respectful of everyone, more amicable and avoids business disruption.” Activision Blizzard employees, including some at Blizzard Albany, are also planning to walk out on Thursday, virtually and physically, in states like California and Texas, to protest the overturn of Roe v. Wade and demand workplace protections.