Activision QA union votes to authorise strike over first-contract talks

Members of Activision Quality Assurance United-CWA have voted to authorise a strike if necessary. The union says Activision has failed to bargain in good faith over key issues in negotiations for a first contract. The authorisation lets the union call a strike if talks do not progress. The sources do not say one has been called or scheduled.

The bargaining committee began negotiating with Activision in August 2024. The union formed in March, when more than 600 QA workers unionised. Microsoft voluntarily recognised it under the labour neutrality agreement it signed with the CWA in 2022. The CWA now represents almost 2,500 workers at Activision Blizzard.

The issues under discussion include wage increases, AI guardrails, contractor use, and workers' rights to seek accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. CWA District 7 vice president Susie McAllister said Activision has delayed and stalled for two years. Bargaining committee member Jenna Huffman, a QA functional tester, said the company is fighting the union in bad faith and has moved away from its stance as a union-neutral employer.

Activision gave a different account in a statement to Kotaku. It said it has worked in good faith with the CWA for the Central QA team and has made meaningful progress on a number of issues. It said it wants a fair first contract and has offered to meet the union again on October 21 and 22. It also said it respects workers' right to strike and has plans to avoid disruption to players or upcoming game releases.

For now the dispute is a vote to authorise action, not a stoppage. The next sign will be the outcome of the October 21 and 22 sessions, if they go ahead. The sources do not say whether the union has accepted the offered dates.