There’s been a flurry of unions at Microsoft-owned studios this year, and now we have a new one: yesterday, workers at ZeniMax Online Studios announced their union, ZOS United-CWA, with the Communications Workers of America.
“Today we, a majority of video game workers at ZeniMax Online Studios and the workers behind ESO [Elder Scrolls Online], are proud to announce the launch of our union,” the group wrote on Bluesky. CWA writes that Microsoft has recognized the union, in accordance with the labor neutrality agreement it signed with CWA in 2023.
According to CWA, ZOS United (a very cool name for a union that will look rad on a tshirt) is made up of 461 members including artists, designers, web developers, and engineers. Most are based in Maryland.
“With a union, we are looking forward to collectively pushing for improvements to the workplace, including job security, protections against AI, better pay and benefits – in an industry that we’re so deeply passionate about,” ZOS United wrote on Bluesky.
ZeniMax more broadly is home to a QA union that staged a strike in November over return-to-work and outsourcing policies. In July, workers at Microsoft-owned Bethesda formed a union, swiftly followed by workers on World of Warcraft and in Blizzard QA. As we like to say about unions around here, you love to see it.
