Bethesda Game Studios Employees Unionize, Marking a Significant Milestone for the Video Game Industry
In a groundbreaking move, the employees of Bethesda Game Studios, a renowned video game development studio, have voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), forming the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft video game studio. This historic decision represents a significant shift in the industry, which has traditionally been seen as resistant to worker organizing efforts.Empowering Developers, Artists, and Designers to Shape Their Future
A Collective Voice for Bethesda Game Studios Employees
The Bethesda Game Studios union, comprising 241 developers, artists, engineers, programmers, and designers, has been formed through a majority of workers signing union authorization cards or indicating their desire for union representation via an online portal. This move marks a significant milestone in the video game industry, as workers seek to secure a protected voice on the job and negotiate better working conditions.
Joining the Growing Movement in the Industry
The Bethesda Game Studios employees are the latest to join a surge of worker unionization efforts across the video game industry. This trend has seen employees at companies like Sega of America, Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and Tender Claws also form unions, challenging the industry's long-held perception as being hostile to worker organizing.
Securing a Fair Contract and Raising Industry Standards
The Bethesda Game Studios union, represented by CWA Locals 2108 in Maryland and 6215 in Texas, is now poised to engage in good faith negotiations with Microsoft to secure a collective bargaining agreement. This process aims to ensure that workers have a protected voice in shaping their working conditions and securing a brighter future for all employees in the video game industry.
Expanding the Labor Movement in the South
The Bethesda Game Studios union also marks a significant development in the growing labor movement in the southern United States. As the video game and tech industries continue to expand in Texas, the CWA Local 6215 president, Ron Swaggerty, emphasizes the critical importance of workers having a protected voice on the job to ensure they receive their fair share.
Unionization Efforts Extend to Bethesda's Montreal Studio
The unionization efforts at Bethesda Game Studios are not limited to the United States. Workers at the studio's Montreal location have also filed for union recognition with the Quebec Labor Relations Board, seeking representation from CWA Canada.
The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA)
The Bethesda Game Studios union is part of a broader effort led by the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA), a network of worker-organizers and their staff working to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. As a project of the Communications Workers of America, CODE-CWA represents hundreds of thousands of workers across various industries.
Microsoft's Response and Commitment to Negotiations
In response to the Bethesda Game Studios union formation, Microsoft has recognized the union and stated that it will engage in good faith negotiations with the CWA to work towards a collective bargaining agreement. This acknowledgment from the tech giant underscores the significance of this milestone and the industry's evolving landscape.
Celebrating a Significant Victory for Bethesda Game Studios Employees
The successful unionization of Bethesda Game Studios employees is a testament to the power of collective action and the growing desire among video game industry workers to have a stronger voice in shaping their working conditions. This achievement serves as an inspiration for others in the industry, as they too seek to secure the benefits and protections that come with union representation.
