Yesterday’s report concerning the ongoing work stoppage at Activision Blizzard additionally famous that some staff on the writer seemed to be ramping up efforts to unionize. Whereas it isn’t clear at this level how widespread or profitable these efforts are, it was sufficient to get the eye of firm administration: An inner message from Activision Blizzard chief administrative officer Brian Bulatao warns staff that voting for a union could possibly be unhealthy, really.
“As you’ll have seen yesterday, there was a communication supported by the Communications Employees of America (CWA) that requested staff to signal and submit union authorization playing cards,” the message says. “I wish to be clear about this: The management of Activision Blizzard helps your proper, beneath the Nationwide Labor Relations Act, to make your personal determination about whether or not or to not be part of a union.
“As you make this determination in your future, we ask solely that you simply take time to think about the implications of your signature on the binding authorized doc introduced to you by CWA. When you signal that doc, you should have signed over to CWA the unique proper ‘to signify [you] for the needs of collective bargaining regarding all phrases and circumstances of employment.’ Which means your capacity to barter all your personal working circumstances will probably be turned over to CWA, simply because the doc says.”
A replica of the message was shared on Twitter by departing senior take a look at analyst Jessica Gonzalez.
Bulatao says that attaining “office tradition aspirations” is best achieved by dialog between administration and staff, not the CWA.
“If we fail to attain the office targets we now have set forth—if we fail to do the issues we have dedicated to doing—then in fact you’ll nonetheless all the time have the correct to have interaction with, and vote for, CWA,” he wrote. “However we’re assured that we’ll make the progress we have beforehand pledged to make and create a office with you that we are able to all be happy with.”
The message has attracted appreciable ranges of scorn on Twitter. Many replies see it as a veiled menace, whereas others marvel why, if Activision is so dedicated to vary, it is not transferring extra shortly to result in change. The broad consensus is that Activision Blizzard may be very keen to forestall unionization.
The CWA additionally weighed in, calling the assertion “disappointing.”
It is disappointing to see Activision Blizzard administration, at yet one more selection level after they might have accomplished the correct factor, double down and proceed to take the low street. 1/December 10, 2021
“As a substitute of responding to their employees’ considerations, they’ve opted to blast essentially the most drained anti-union speaking factors straight from the union busting script,” the CWA tweeted. “Union avoidance campaigns waste sources that ABK administration might in any other case be utilizing to handle critical considerations reminiscent of compensating the victims of sexual harassment. We hope administration will come to its senses & see that their solely viable path ahead is to satisfy the righteous calls for from the preliminary walkout, together with guaranteeing there’s a lasting employee voice in all firm issues.”
The adverse backlash is not shocking—what’s somewhat shocking, to me at the very least, is that Activision Blizzard management would suppose that placing out this sort of message was a good suggestion. They needed to know the message would go public, and wouldn’t be nicely obtained. The one wise conclusion appears to be that they imagine sowing doubt over unionization is definitely worth the blowback.
A number of hours after Bulatao’s message, one other was despatched to managers by chief folks officer Julie Hodges, providing “coaching classes” on learn how to reply union-related questions from staff. It didn’t go over very nicely both.
Nothing scares an unaccountable govt just like the considered being held accountable by organized worker motion. https://t.co/CJKjBinD6qDecember 10, 2021
A GoFundMe campaign launched on Thursday to assist Activision Blizzard staff who’ve walked off the job in assist of Raven Software program contract employees who had been let go last week is now as much as almost $250,000.
