Unionised staff at Call of Duty studio Raven Software have filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board after claims that Activision and Microsoft are stalling over contract negotiations.
The complaint, as reported byGameFile, alleged thatActivisionandMicrosoftare guilty of “Refusal to Bargain / Bad Faith Bargaining”.
“After Microsoft’s acquisition ofActivision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract atRaven Software,” CWA president Claude Cummings Jr told Game File.
“Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the Unfair Labor Practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”
A Microsoft spokesperson told Game File: “We are committed to negotiating in good faith.”
Activision Blizzardofficially recognised the union, which was established by a group of QA workers, in 2022. The Game Workers Alliance was the first labour union formed at a major US gaming company.
At time, then Activision Blizzard CEOBobby Koticksaid: “With the election having concluded, we will engage in good faith negotiations to enter into a collective bargaining agreement.
“While first labor contracts can take some time to complete, we will meet CWA leaders at the bargaining table and work toward an agreement that supports the success of all our employees, that further strengthens our commitment to create the industry’s best, most welcoming and inclusive workplace, and enhances our ability to deliver world class games for our players.”
