“Massive roadblocks” with Microsoft explained as ZeniMax QA employee union goes on strike — here’s what the workers are asking for

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What you need to know

  • ZeniMax Workers United is a union that represents over 300 quality assurance employees at Microsoft that work on Bethesda Softworks titles such as Fallout 76 and Starfield.
  • ZeniMax Workers United is going on strike for a day, with the union members explaining that Microsoft is not meeting their demands for remote work.
  • The union also seeks to limit the amount of quality assurance work being outsourced.

As a seasoned analyst with decades of experience observing and analyzing the ever-evolving landscape of the gaming industry, I’ve witnessed the remarkable growth and evolution of unionization within this dynamic sector. The recent announcement by ZeniMax Workers United-CWA that they are going on strike is not just a significant event, but a testament to the growing power and resolve of these organizations in advocating for fairer working conditions.

One of the largest unions in the gaming industry is taking a big step.

On Wednesday, ZeniMax Workers United-CWA declared a labor strike, as workers nationwide assert that Microsoft has failed to address their concerns about remote work opportunities and outsourcing of quality assurance (QA) tasks. This union represents approximately 300 QA employees who contribute to the development of hit games such as Fallout and Starfield from Bethesda Softworks.

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According to ZeniMax Workers United, both outsourcing and working remotely are significant matters that our team, as well as the broader industry, must address. Although numerous staff members were employed during the pandemic and have effectively performed their duties from home, Microsoft and ZeniMax are now denying QA employees the opportunity to work remotely on a permanent basis.

Regarding the outsourcing of Quality Assurance (QA), while we acknowledge it’s a common practice in large-scale game development, what concerns us is Microsoft bypassing our union and carrying out these outsourcing activities without prior consultation or negotiation. In essence, they are shifting QA tasks from in-house work to external sources.

Unionization is growing strong roots at Microsoft Gaming

In March 2021, Microsoft spent $8.1 billion to purchase ZeniMax Media. This acquisition is part of Microsoft’s ongoing plan to take over Activision Blizzard King. To show their support for labor unions, Microsoft agreed with the Communication Workers of America (CWA). Following this agreement, workers at ZeniMax Quality Assurance department unionized, and later, employees at Activision followed suit.

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2024 saw a wave of layoffs and studio shutdowns across the gaming sector, leading to entire studios and teams under Microsoft’s umbrella organizing in response. Notably, Bethesda Game Studios and the World of Warcraft team at Blizzard Entertainment opted for unionization. Now, these unions within Microsoft Gaming are collaborating and aiding each other whenever feasible.

Although actions related to this strike have been taken, I’ve learned that ZeniMax Workers United has made some advancements in their contract negotiations with Microsoft, but not on the matters of remote work and outsourced Quality Assurance. In simpler terms, while the overall discussions are happening smoothly, we encounter significant obstacles when it comes to these specific issues.

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2024-11-13 22:10