BioWare contractors at Keywords Studios vote ‘yes’ in favor of union

Quality assurance (QA) workers at Keywords Studios’ Edmonton, Canada location, which supports BioWare projects like Legendary edition of Mass EffectThey announced Monday that a majority of the voters voted in support of unionization.

On Monday, the Alberta Labour Board counted all eligible QA workers and determined that they voted “yes”. In a press release, Keywords workers reported the total. Alberta Labour Board refused to comment, citing a law that required it to wait for results to be announced within 24 hours.

A representative for the new Keywords workers’ union said that bargaining will begin this week. The studio itself did not respond to Polygon’s request for comment.

“We’re ecstatic,” James, a Keywords Studios QA worker and organizing committee member, told Polygon on Monday. “We’re super happy. It will assist us going forward into bargaining that the whole team is completely united on this effort.”

In March, keywords Studio QA workers discussed unionization after the studio introduced a return to office order which resulted in hundreds of dollars extra for commuter workers. Workers were frustrated with low salaries and considered higher travel costs more difficult. However, they also valued the freedom to work from home. Keywords Studios QA workers said they don’t receive paid time off, which made going back to the office more challenging, too. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, it would be necessary to get a personal day off so that you can work remotely.

“We all got together and started talking about what it would look like in terms of costs for each of us individually,” James said. “We had a choice. You can quit your job and find another one, or you could love what you do. We don’t want to leave. So we decided to try to form a union to see if we can drive some positive change in our workplace.”

Keywords Studios QA employees are organized by United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union Local No. 401. In April, the group submitted paperwork to Alberta Labour Relations Board.

Keywords Studios was established in 1998 with its headquarters in Ireland, and over 20 worldwide offices. Keywords does not produce or develop any of its games. Instead, it provides support and art for other studios.

Keywords Studios supports several AAA publishers and studios, including BioWare which is owned by Electronic Arts. BioWare has been developed by the Edmonton team. Mass Effect: The Legendary EditionAnd a Star Wars: The Old Republic expansion. They are currently working on Dragon Age 2.

Keywords Studios’ union vote is two weeks following Activision Blizzard QA employees at Raven Software forming a union with a vote of 19-3.

Video game workers are more likely to organize and join unions outside North America. The technology sector in North America has historically been anti-union. Video game workers, in particular, have reported working long hours — sometimes up to 100 per week under crunch conditions — and low pay. In 2021, QA workers in particular told Polygon that they feel dispensable due to their minimum wage and short work periods.

Workers want to create a better working environment. However, QA workers are leading the charge for fairer conditions.

James, the Keywords Studios QA worker, said the Keywords union has been in contact with their colleagues at Raven Software, who’ve supported their effort by sharing experiences and anti-union tactics to look out for. They’ve also received support from Game Workers Unite Montréal, an organization advocating for workers rights and unions in the video game industry.

“We’ve got a better chance of getting some better working conditions together,” James said.