Hours after asserting it will convert over 1,000 non permanent and contract QA staff to full time and supply a minimal pay of $20 per hour, Activision Blizzard is stating that Raven Software program QA employees won’t be a part of that deal. In accordance with a report from Bloomberg, the QA testers at Raven Software program who lately organized because the Sport Employees Alliance will be unable to benefit from the brand new pay minimal — one thing Activision Blizzard failed to say upfront when it despatched the preliminary information to media shops. Excluding organizing staff from company-wide advantages appears to be Activision Blizzard’s newest transfer in opposition to the burgeoning labor motion occurring on the firm.

In a press release to The Verge, Activision Blizzard spokesperson Jessica Taylor confirmed Bloomberg’s findings, saying:

“All QA at Raven are full-time and have already got entry to full firm advantages and eligibility to take part within the firm’s bonus program. Because of our authorized obligations below the Nationwide Labor Relations Act, we can not institute new pay initiatives at Raven presently, as a result of they’d be new sorts of compensation change.”

Along with that assertion, Activision Blizzard additionally offered The Verge with a replica of the e-mail that Brian Raffel, Raven Software program studio head, despatched out to staff.

Crew,

At this time, it was introduced that every one US-based TEA and contingent QA employees shall be transformed to FTE. This information builds upon our conversions throughout AP studios that started in December of 2021. By way of direct dialogue with one another, we improved pay, expanded advantages, and offered skilled alternatives to draw and retain the world’s finest expertise.

As a part of at the moment’s information, these Activision QA groups will obtain a rise in minimal hourly charges. As well as, when the conversions happen, these QA staff may have entry to full firm advantages and eligibility to take part within the firm’s bonus program, the identical method our Raven QA groups have already been capable of. Because of our authorized obligations below the Nationwide Labor Relations Act, we’re prohibited from making new sorts of compensation modifications at Raven presently.

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I encourage you to talk to any division lead, supervisor, or HR to study extra in regards to the union, this course of or to reply any particular questions on [this] information.

As all the time, I’ll share extra specifics after I can. I’m enthusiastic about what this might imply for our groups.

The e-mail appears expertly crafted to have a chilling impact on the Sport Employees Alliance’s continued efforts to determine the corporate’s first union. Phrasing like “via direct dialogue with one another, we improved pay, expanded advantages, and offered skilled alternatives” sends the message that organizers’ union actions have prevented them from having fun with the advantages the corporate is extending to others.

As Activision Blizzard has not voluntarily acknowledged the union, the following step within the course of entails a vote overseen by the Nationwide Labor Relations Board (NLRB). If a majority of voters determine in favor of a union, it have to be acknowledged and bargaining should start. That vote has not but occurred, and excluding Raven QA from the company-wide QA enhancements may intimidate employee-organizers and fence-sitters into voting in opposition to unionization.

The Communications Employees of America (CWA), which helps kind and has advocated for unions at quite a lot of tech firms together with Activision Blizzard, agrees. In an electronic mail, CWA secretary-treasurer Sara Steffens informed The Verge:

Make no mistake, all credit score for Activision Blizzard’s newest transfer to provide all non permanent and contingent QA staff members full-time employment and a elevate ought to go to the employees who’ve been organizing, mobilizing and talking out.

It’s particularly galling then that Activision has excluded Raven Software program QA employees, who’ve been on the forefront of this effort, from these advantages. The corporate’s assertion that the Nationwide Labor Relations Act prevents them from together with Raven employees is clearly an effort to divide employees and undermine their effort to kind a union (Sport Employees Alliance – CWA). Activision’s disingenuous announcement is additional proof of the necessity for employees to have a protected voice on the job. We strongly urge Activision Blizzard to rectify this example and respect Raven QA employees’ protected proper to prepare below the regulation.

Activision Blizzard characterizes it very in another way, after all. Right here’s a reply to the CWA through Activision spokesperson Wealthy George:

The union’s assertion is each improper and disingenuous. It’s well-known that, throughout an election petition interval, the regulation prevents an employer from extending new sorts of advantages to staff who’re going to be voting. See Nationwide Labor Relations Board v. Trade Elements Co., 375 U.S. 405 (1964), and the related instances, for dialogue of those guidelines. The CWA is blaming us for attempting to adjust to the regulation by pretending the regulation doesn’t exist.”

This isn’t the primary potential union-busting motion Activision Blizzard has taken relating to the organizing Raven QA staff. Days after the Sport Employees Alliance voted to kind, Activision Blizzard restructured the QA division, embedding QA employees throughout departmental groups. By breaking the QA division up into employees distributed throughout a number of groups, Activision Blizzard is doubtlessly isolating organizers and disrupting communication and cohesion. Although the method is widespread in online game developer group, the CWA stated, “[This] is nothing greater than a tactic to thwart Raven QA employees who’re exercising their proper to prepare.”

Replace, 6:11 PM ET: Added a reply from Activision Blizzard to the CWA’s allegations.