Source: Internet Explorer Channel Network
The Raven Software management reportedly been in the process of attempting to convince its workers to vote against unionisation. Raven Software is the subsidiary of gaming giant Activision Blizzard responsible for developing Call of Duty games. Recent reports specify how the management has continued the distribution of messages, and organising town hall meetings. Evidently, these efforts are coming in just ahead of May 20, the election deadline.
One such meeting in the town hall was held on Tuesday, April 26. During this, the company leadership hinted at how unionisations could possibly affect the development of their games. Moreover, they mentioned how it could also have an impact on promotions and benefits for them.
Following this particular meeting, the management sent the workers an email with a rather straightforward message. According to The Post, the mail said “Please vote no” to the employees in a fairly direct way. Some of the Raven Software employees informed how the gaming giant’s effort were all in vain, for they ended up voting yes anyway.
How and why did these efforts begin in the first place?
Towards the end of 2021, the issue initiated suddenly when Raven fired about 33% of the QA testers of the group. In fact, this was just months after promising them improved pay conditions.
Additionally, the workers of Activision Blizzard set up a weeks long strike as a form of support to the QA employees. Notably, efforts on unionisation also started at around the same time as this. This was the time from when the gaming giant had been preventing workers from organising such unions.
According to reports, The Vice President of QA at Activision, Chris Arends addresses the team members in a Slack meeting. He informed them how unions do not contribute ‘anything to help’ them develop ‘world-class games.’ He added how the ‘bargaining’ procedure is not often fast, rather typically lessens flexibility, additionally could be ‘adversarial and lead to negative publicity.’
The National Labor Relations Board reportedly gave permission to the quality assurance testers anyway, to organise a union vote in April. In fact, the workers have continued sending in there ballots through mail in the last one month. They are set to count these ballots by means of a video call on May 23. It is through this that one can determine if Activision’s reported efforts to combat unions were effective enough.
