After two years of negotiations, ZeniMax Workers United-CWA, representing quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Media, has reached a tentative union contract with Microsoft, as reported by the Communication Workers of America. The union, formed in 2023, was immediately recognized by Microsoft, which had committed to a neutral stance on union organizing at ZeniMax by 2024.
The newly proposed contract will impact over 300 ZeniMax employees and includes significant wage increases along with new minimum salaries. It also contains provisions to protect workers from the impacts of artificial intelligence and introduces a policy that credits QA workers for their contributions to video games.
Jessee Leese, a QA tester and member of the ZeniMax Workers United-CWA bargaining committee, stated in the CWA announcement, “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. 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.”
Although the contract is considered “tentative” until ratified by union members, it is expected that the agreements reached by ZeniMax workers might set a precedent for other unions. ZeniMax QA testers are not the only gaming union within Microsoft; QA workers at Raven Software, Activision, ZeniMax Online Studios, and the Overwatch development team are all in active negotiations with the company.
Beyond Microsoft, the CWA announced the United Game Workers-CWA union at this year’s GDC, providing another representation option. The United Game Workers-CWA is a direct-join union, allowing all industry workers, including those laid off and freelancers, to participate in collective actions without the need for employer recognition.
