Union Contract with Microsoft Ratified by 1,900 Blizzard Developers and Workers
Nearly 1900 Blizzard Entertainment workers "voted to ratify their first union contract with parent company Microsoft after over two years of bargaining," reports Kotaku, "consolidating Blizzard's many smaller unions into three larger bargaining units." The workers now gain new protections "on issues such as generative AI, crediting, remote work, and layoffs." [The contract] acknowledges that AI…
Nearly 1,900 Blizzard Entertainment workers have ratified their first union contract with parent company Microsoft after two years of negotiations, reports Kotaku. The new contract consolidates various smaller unions into three larger bargaining units and provides protections on issues such as generative AI, crediting, remote work, and layoffs.
The contract acknowledges the potential of AI tools in the game development process while ensuring human control and review for accuracy and quality. It also covers issues such as crediting, remote work, and layoff procedures, guaranteeing a 60-day notice period, severance pay, and recall rights. Additionally, the contract ensures successorship if Blizzard is ever acquired by another company and locks in the current hybrid work schedule for workers.
Fully remote workers secured a significant win, with their remote status being grandfathered, preventing sudden calls to office locations.
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