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[ParaSeoul]

Activision Illegally Threatened Staff, US Labor Officials Find

www.bloomberg.com

US labor board prosecutors determined that Activision Blizzard Inc. illegally threatened staff and enforced a social media policy that conflicts with workers’ rights, according to a government spokesperson. The finding is a setback for the company as it tries to fend off a unionization effort and finalize a $68.7 billion sale to Microsoft Corp.

Unless Activision settles, the Los Angeles-based regional director of the National Labor Relations Board will issue a complaint, the agency’s press secretary Kayla Blado said Monday. Activision did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The labor board is slated to count ballots on Monday from an election held among around 21 employees at Activision’s Raven studio in Wisconsin, which could establish a rare foothold for organized labor in the video game industry.


The allegations in the labor board case were brought to the agency last September by the Communications Workers of America, the same union organizing at Raven. CWA, which has increasingly focused in recent years on organizing non-union workers in the tech and video game industries, said in an emailed statement at the time that it was “very inspired by the bravery” of Activision employees and that it filed with the agency to ensure that violations by the company “will not go unanswered.”

 

[kingfey]

What do you guys expected from a company, which hid all their allegations for years?

Activision is corrupt from heart.

I will not be surprised, if there are more hidden skeletons in their closet.

 

[Bo_Hazem]

 

[Fuz]

 

[MikeM]

Have fun Microsoft.

 

[shaddam]

How can they threaten you legally?

 

[TheGodfather07]

microsoft right now.

 

[Captain Toad]

How can they threaten you legally?

I'm gonna give you $20 if you don't shut up.

 

[ParaSeoul]

I wonder if this will discourage others from buying entire publishers rather than single developers. You really just inherit all their problems.

 

[TheGodfather07]

I wonder if this will discourage others from buying entire publishers rather than single developers. You really just inherit all their problems.

depends on the publisher. not all of them are a dumpster fire like activision.

 

[ParaSeoul]

depends on the publisher. not all of them are a dumpster fire like activision.

True but the other big one the rumors are pointing to getting acquired soon is EA and we all know about that.

EA Voted Worst Company in America, Again

Well, who could have ever predicted this? As soon as it was announced that EA was again nominated for Consumerist's Worst Company in America bracket, it was almost certain they'd win just like they did last year. And they have won, yet again. This time they beat out Bank of America for [...]

www.forbes.com

 

[StormCell]

And here I thought Activision was the great utopia of gay and diverse creatures where nothing bad ever happened to anyone!

 

[oldergamer]

Ea has made a total 180. These were some of the reasons activision was selling to ms. They didnt want to wait to get hit by multiple lawsuits before they deal was in progress.
Activision, rockstar and many others have pulled shit like this in the past and not been burned.

 

[Hendrick's]

The labor board is slated to count ballots on Monday from an election held among around 21 employees at Activision’s Raven studio in Wisconsin

21 employees? Yeah this is going nowhere.

 

[saintjules]

Tweet deleted.

 

[ParaSeoul]

Tweet deleted.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

I assume you mean not for Xbox and Game Pass fans...

 

[Black_Stride]

Whats another million dollars when you already paid billions?

21 employees have them share that million or whatever and start looking for a new job.

 

[ParaSeoul]

Game Pass

 

[Salty Popsicle]

All these negative stories about incompetent and abusive management within Activision should serve to help the Microsoft deal go through. Allow Microsoft to buy the company, clean house with all these managers and implement/enforce a better working relationship between employees. If the FTC disallows the buy-out these stories will continue to pop-up for years and it wont look good on the regulatory board.

 

[ParaSeoul]

All these negative stories about incompetent and abusive management within Activision should serve to help the Microsoft deal go through. Allow Microsoft to buy the company, clean house with all these managers and implement/enforce a better working relationship between employees. If the FTC disallows the buy-out these stories will continue to pop-up for years and it wont look good on the regulatory board.

Interesting perspective.

 

[winjer]

The gift that keeps on giving....

 

[kingfey]

I wonder if this will discourage others from buying entire publishers rather than single developers. You really just inherit all their problems.

Money is money.
These type of situations can be paid off.

Big publishers have IPs and workers ready for you. So they save alot of time and money for the buyer.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

Interesting perspective.

Microsoft should hire me to create the narrative for this acquisition. I'll be nice and only charge .01% of the acquisition fee.

 

[kingfey]

All these negative stories about incompetent and abusive management within Activision should serve to help the Microsoft deal go through. Allow Microsoft to buy the company, clean house with all these managers and implement/enforce a better working relationship between employees. If the FTC disallows the buy-out these stories will continue to pop-up for years and it wont look good on the regulatory board.

If ftc doesn't allow this deal to go through, then they are breaking their moto of protecting workers.
Because Activision-Blizzard's would continue to harm the employees, as long as they work for Activision-Blizzard's, and not another company.

This is a checkmate for MS. Free publicity if they clean the house, plus owning the biggest game in the gaming industry after grand theft auto and minecraft.

 

[JackSparr0w]

Stopping employees from sharing idiotic takes on social media? Someone is doing god's work.

 

[Daytonabot]

I'm going to have to start keeping track of what studios unionize so that I can stop supporting them.

 

[Woopah]

I'm going to have to start keeping track of what studios unionize so that I can stop supporting them.

Why would you stop supporting developers that unionise?

 

[pqueue]

Microsoft should just walk away from this shitshow.
They will never be in the black with this acquisition.
Suck up the penalty for walking away and move on.

 

[Daytonabot]

Why would you stop supporting developers that unionise?

Because the only things unions pass on to consumers are higher prices and worse quality.

 

[pqueue]

Why would you stop supporting developers that unionise?

Unions only result in high production costs, higher labor costs, and more development inefficiencies.

Furthermore, as a developer, I would want to be evaluated and rewarded for MY effort. Not set at some mythical median that equally rewards over- AND under-achievers.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

If these companies are so afraid of unions....I will support unions..fuck them..fuck them goood.

 

[SLB1904]

If Microsoft walks away from this, Activision will be in deep shit

 

[pqueue]

If Microsoft walks away from this, Activision will be in deep shit

well, they would have to pay ACti=Bliz $2-3 billion if they do so, but that is pocket change to MS who has billions to spare

 

[Zeroing]

Like I said before... this seems like this mess will not be stopping anytime soon.

 

[Woopah]

Because the only things unions pass on to consumers are higher prices and worse quality.

Unions only result in high production costs, higher labor costs, and more development inefficiencies.

Furthermore, as a developer, I would want to be evaluated and rewarded for MY effort. Not set at some mythical median that equally rewards over- AND under-achievers.

Unions also make it harder for companies to exploit their workers, which is a good thing no?

 

[Daytonabot]

Unions also make it harder for companies to exploit their workers, which is a good thing no?

No one sitting in an air conditioned office playing a video game is being exploited. Let's keep a little perspective here.

 

[MonkeyClaw36]

Because the only things unions pass on to consumers are higher prices and worse quality.

Ab-so-lute HORSE SHIT! Unions are there for workers rights. There is only 2 reasons for someone to hate Unionisation: You like having slaves and don't give a rat's ass about their well being.

 

[Hendrick's]

No one sitting in an air conditioned office playing a video game is being exploited. Let's keep a little perspective here.

Plenty of non-union workplaces that do not exploit their employees. They can go work for them.

 

[STARSBarry]

No one sitting in an air conditioned office playing a video game is being exploited. Let's keep a little perspective here.

The lack of self awareness after your generalised hot take is astonishing.

 

[Daytonabot]

Ab-so-lute HORSE SHIT! Unions are there for workers rights. There is only 2 reasons for someone to hate Unionisation: You like having slaves and don't give a rat's ass about their well being.

Unions are there to tip the scale of supply and demand against consumers, because that is ultimately where the increased costs and reduced quality wind up. Being paid market rate for your qualifications is not slavery in any way, shape, or form.