Microsoft has said it “is not going to stand in the best way” of a possible Activision Snowstorm union had been any to be known.
As reported through The Washington Post, Microsoft’s company vp and normal recommend Lisa Tanzi shared the corporate’s stance on those unions that would doubtlessly occur before the Xbox-Activision Blizzard deal goes through in 2023.
“Microsoft respects Activision Snowstorm workers’ proper to select whether or not to be represented through a exertions group and we will be able to honor the ones selections,” Tanzi mentioned.
This remark follows fifteen staff at Raven Tool signing a letter to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella that asks him to inspire Activision Snowstorm to voluntarily acknowledge the Recreation Employees Alliance union. Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith was once additionally addressed within the letter.
Moreover, the letter denounces Reed Smith, a legislation company retained through Activision Snowstorm, for its phase in publishing anti-union subject matter on its web page, together with a PowerPoint presentation that includes a slide titled “Kinds of Staff Unions Exploit.”
“I’m hoping that you are going to agree that this demeaning and insulting way to workers who’re in search of to support their place of work must now not be tolerated,” reads the letter.
“The content material of this presentation was once created for a workshop in 2013 through attorneys who not paintings on the company,” mentioned Phill McGowan, director of company communications at Reed Smith. “It does now not replicate the best way our company thinks concerning the rights of workers and employers. Those slides haven’t any bearing at the pending CWA illustration petition, and weren’t ready or utilized by the attorneys representing Activision Snowstorm.”
Following Activision Snowstorm laying off “at least a dozen” quality assurance contractors from Call of Duty studio Raven Software in December 2021, steps had been taken through Raven QA workers and extra to create Activision Blizzard’s first union.
Activision Snowstorm has yet to voluntarily recognize Game Workers Alliance and no settlement was once made between the two events through the closing date set through the organizing staff.
That is however another chapter in the fallout from Activision Blizzard being sued by California over allegations of “frat boy tradition” and sexual harassment.
For extra, examine a new lawsuit alleging “rampant sexism” at Activision Blizzard and how Microsoft approached Activision Blizzard about an acquisition just 3 days after the Bobby Kotic report.
Adam Bankhurst is a information author for IGN. You’ll observe him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
