Unionised workers at Blizzard Entertainment have officially voted to ratify their first ever major contract, after two years of negotiations with studio management.
The new contract, which will protect around 1,900 workers across multiple different departments, provides for better protection in the case of layoffs, opportunities to seek remote work, better crediting on released projects, and guardrails around the implementation of AI use.
It also accounts for a new three-pillar union system at Blizzard Entertainment. Previously, the company was home to an array of disparate bargaining groups representing multiple disciplines. Now, there are three distinct bargaining groups defined by their work, games and expertise.
The first group comprises those working on World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, as well as workers from Blizzard QA. The second group covers those on the platform, technology, customer support, localisation, story and franchise development teams. The third group comprises those working on Diablo and Overwatch.
In the next four to five years, all three groups will be covered by the new union contract.
Blizzard union workers ratify new contract – quick links
What’s in the new Blizzard union contract?
As reported by Kotaku, the focus of the new union contract is to provide a more stable and sustainable working environment for developers, and to account for an array of emerging challenges in the games industry.
First, the contract will provide better protection for unionised employees in the case of layoffs and redundancies. The contract ensures that in the case of layoffs, Blizzard is required to give a 60-day notice or pay in lieu of that notice. It also guarantees one week of severance pay for every six months an employee has worked. Recall rights are also baked in for 14 months, in the case of jobs and responsibilities opening back up.
A second major challenge outlined by the contract is the implementation of AI tools in workplace processes. While it acknowledges that AI tools may be useful, it also states their use must ‘remain subject to appropriate human control and review for accuracy and quality.’ The contract also stipulates that if AI tools were to significantly impact the work of an employee, their implementation must be specifically bargained for.
Elsewhere, the contract also implemented a guarantee that unionised employees will be credited for their work on games, regardless of whether they are current or former employees at release, as well as additional protection for remote work including better definition for hybrid roles and the option to apply to be fully remote.
Xbox acknowledges new Blizzard union contract
This union contract is now the fourth major one delivered under the Microsoft banner in recent years. As outlined by Kotaku, it follows in the footsteps of similar contracts developed with ZeniMax QA testers, the Raven Software studio, and Blizzard QA workers.
In 2022, amidst the major changes initiated by its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft announced a labour neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America that indicated they would allow for workers to ‘exercise their democratic rights to organise and collectively bargain’ without interference.
It remains neutral, and has issued a company statement via Blizzard’s president.
‘We appreciate the dedication and engagement of our represented employees and the bargaining committees throughout this process, as well as every Blizzard employee whose work continued alongside it,’ Johanna Faries, Blizzard president said via Kotaku.
‘The ratification of these agreements marks a significant milestone and reflects our shared commitment to continuing to work together in support of our teams and our players.’
