QA testers at Zenimax have reached a tentative union contract agreement with Microsoft, parent union Communications Workers of America announced on Friday. Zenimax Workers United, made up of over 300 people, has been bargaining its first contract for nearly two years.
According to CWA, the tentative contract includes wage increases and new salary minimums, as well as "a crediting policy that clearly acknowledges the QA workers’ contributions to the video games they help create." It also includes grievance procedures, protections around dismissals, and agreements about AI that Microsoft made in December 2023. Workers will vote on whether to ratify the contract by late June.
“Video games have been the revenue titan of the entire entertainment industry for years, and the workers who develop these games are too often exploited for their passion and creativity. Organizing unions, bargaining for a contract, and speaking with one collective voice has allowed workers to take back the autonomy we all deserve,” Jessee Leese, a QA tester and bargaining committee member, said in CWA's press release. “Our first contract is an invitation for video game professionals everywhere to take action. We’re the ones who make these games, and we’ll be the ones to set new standards for fair treatment.”
Zenimax Workers United formed in 2023 and was recognized by Microsoft in accordance with a neutrality agreement the company agreed to ahead of its purchase of Activision Blizzard. In the time since, the union has staged a strike over remote work and struggled to secure a contract. More Microsoft unions have sprung up since its formation, including at Zenimax Online Studios, Bethesda, and Activision Blizzard. At this year's Game Developers Conference, the CWA announced a "direct-join" union open to all video game workers, including those who have been laid off.
