Raven Software: National Labor Relations Board Rules QA Workers Can Vote Whether To Unionize This Month

After a decision by the National Labor Relations Board, Raven Software quality assurance employees at Activision Blizzard can vote on whether to unite starting in this month. 

The following news is from Polygon, which reports that the NLRB ruled Friday that the 21-person QA unit in question is eligible to unionize after Raven’s parent company, Activision Blizzard, challenged the effort, attempting to make it so that the entire 230-person team must vote on the decision. The 21 individuals in question will now be eligible to vote once the ballots have been received. They are due to arrive on April 29. If the ballots are received on May 23, they will be counted and, if there is a supermajority to vote yes, then the Game Workers Alliance union can officially begin negotiations with Activision Blizzard. 

The news is coming months after Raven’s QA contractors were fired. After that incident, QA staff at the studio went on strike. Shortly thereafter, 34 employees attempted to organize. Raven requested Activision Blizzard recognize the union within 24 hours. However, Activision Blizzard refused to comply with the deadline. A spokesperson for Activision Blizzard stated that it did not do so because the parties had failed to reach an agreement. Earlier this month, Activision Blizzard converted all of its U.S.-based QA testers to full-time employees with benefits and increased wages, but the company said current Raven workers would not receive the new pay initiatives, “due to legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Board.”

“Whether Raven workers choose to unionize has nothing to do with the salary increases elsewhere for Activision’s QA workers,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson told BloombergAt the moment. 

Many, including Game Workers Alliance secretary-treasurer Sara Steffens, have stated that this move by Activision Blizzard is the result of Raven’s push for better working conditions and pay, but Steffens said “it’s especially galling then that Activision has excluded Raven Software QA workers, who have been at the forefront of this effort, from these benefits,” in a statement to Fanbyte This was earlier in the month. 

Activision Blizzard spoke out in response to Raven being given permission to vote by the NLRB on unionization. PolygonThe company is currently reviewing all options for appeal. 

“While we respect the NLRB process, we are disappointed that a decision that could significantly impact the future of our entire studio will be made by fewer than 10% of our employees,” the spokesperson told the publication. “We believe a direct relationship with team members is the best path to achieving individual and company goals. We are reviewing legal options regarding a potential appeal.” 

As PolygonThe Game Workers Alliance notes tweeted “We are so proud to announce that the NLRB ruled that our unit is eligible for election. Thanks to everyone who has supported us since the beginning of our strike and all those that have continued supporting it until now. Time for democracy.” 

Amidst all this, Microsoft’s nearly $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard grows closer but Microsoft has said it will not interfere with unionization efforts happening at the company. 

More information is available here Game Informer’s original coverage of the Raven Software layoffs and then catch up on the Raven Software strike that happened as a result, including Activision management’s response to it.

[Source: Polygon]