Raven Software Files Labor Complaint Against Activision Blizzard, Microsoft; Alleges Bad Faith Bargaining

Raven Software, known for its contributions to the Call of Duty franchise, is making headlines again—this time, not for its gaming achievements, but for a legal battle with its parent companies, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft Corp. MSFT.

Employees at Raven Software, who established the first union within Activision Blizzard in 2022, have lodged a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Game File reported.

See Also: 600 Activision QA Workers Vote To Form Largest US Video Game Worker Union Yet

The complaint alleges refusal to bargain, bad faith bargaining, changes in terms and conditions of employment, and retaliation against concerted activities.

A Promising Start Turns Sour

Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), said: "After Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software. Unfortunately, that has not happened."

The CWA, under which Raven Software’s employees organized their union, initially supported Microsoft’s acquisition, hoping it would usher in a “new day for workers at Activision Blizzard.”

However, the union’s recent complaint suggests that the honeymoon period is over, with the workers now facing significant challenges in securing the labor rights they fought for.

Microsoft's Response And Ongoing Negotiations

In response to the complaint, a Microsoft spokesperson stated: “We are committed to negotiating in good faith,” but details on the specific grievances remain scarce, as the CWA has declined to elaborate on the allegations. The NLRB’s decision on the case could take time, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations.

This dispute is part of a broader trend of labor activism within the video game industry. The past year has seen a surge in unionization efforts and labor actions across several studios.

For instance, Bethesda Game Studios, another Microsoft-owned company, recently became the first within the corporation to form a union, covering a wide range of roles from artists to programmers.

Similarly, Sega of America’s union, part of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. SGAMY, successfully ratified a contract earlier this year.

And, in related news, Paris-based Spiders studio announced plans on Wednesday to strike just weeks before the release of its upcoming game, Greedfall 2.

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Cover image made with AI using Dall-E.