LogInThe former employees want to hold Lionbridge Technologies and Microsoft's Activision accountable.
Blizzard | Overwatch 2
Lionbridge Technologies, a QA testing company contracted by Microsoft's Activision, fired a team of employees because they were trying to unionize, according to an unfair labor practice charge filed by the Communications Workers of America (CWA). As noted by 404 Media, the charge claims the team was working on a game for Microsoft, which maintains a labor neutrality agreement with the CWA.
Allegedly, on April 18, Lionbridge "terminated the employment of substantially all of the approximately 160 employees working at its Boise, ID, worksite. This termination was motivated by employees' union and other protected activity." The union also accused the company of a "documented union-busting track record."
"Workers brought their concerns to management and organized with our coworkers to improve our working conditions," said Beth Allen, a spokesperson for CWA. "In response to these complaints, Lionbridge chose to lay off the entire team, in violation of our rights as workers."
Apparently, Lionbridge told the employees that the layoffs were because their project had ended. However, other teams working on the same project in other countries continue to work.
While Microsoft’s Activision was not directly named in the charge, the union wants it to "hold its contractors to the same standards the company has set for itself as stated in its principles."
"They do much the same work that union-represented Activision QA employees do, and Microsoft should make sure that everyone working on its games is treated with respect in line with its labor principles, including employees of contractors," Allen said.
Activision is no stranger to fighting against unions. Before being bought by Microsoft, it refused to recognize the Proletariat Workers Alliance, formed by one of its subsidiaries, and even withheld raises from QA testers at Raven Software. Eventually, several Activision Blizzard studios formed the largest labor union in the United States, but it was difficult to path for them.
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