MONITORING DESK
ISLAMABAD: A few hundred of video game testers grouped together to form Microsoft’s first labor union in the United States. The union will be the largest in the video game sector.
According to the Communications Workers of America on Tuesday, the union was joined by workers from ZeniMax Studios. These employees comprise of the majority of 300 quality-assurance workers at the subsidiary.
Prior to the formation of the union, Microsoft had informed the CWA that it would accept the move at its Maryland-based subsidiary. Thus, Microsoft fulfilled its commitment regarding efforts to build support for acquiring Activision Blizzard, which is another big game company.
Efforts to form labor union started prior to takeover by Microsoft
In 2021, Microsoft bought ZeniMax for $7.5 billion in 2021. The purchase gave the Xbox-maker control of ZeniMax’s game publishing division Bethesda Softworks along with the Elder Scrolls, Doom and Fallout game franchises.
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Wayne Dayberry, a senior game tester, talking to Associated Press said the campaign to unionize had started prior to the takeover by Microsoft and the move reflected concerns at the workplace that are common in the companies of the video game industry.
