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Bethesda Game Studios developers “ecstatic” to announce a 241-strong “wall to wall” unionBased-thesda more like
Based-thesda more like
Image credit:Microsoft
Image credit:Microsoft
Late last week, 241 staffers fromFallout,Starfield, andThe Elder Scrollsdevelopers Bethesda Game Studios announced a “wall-to-wall” union under the Communication Workers of America (CWA). Alongside Bethesda Montreal’sunionisation last month, and theunion of Zenimax QA workerslast year, this marks a historic moment in the US game industry labour movement.
“We, a majority of developers at Bethesda Game Studios Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, are ecstatic to announce the formation of our union with [the CWA],” the unionannounced on X. “As a democratic organization, we seek to empower the collective wishes of our studios' workers; having a safe, sustainable, and equitable work environment for all. Having a proper seat at the discussion table allows us to turn those wishes into reality.”
The Bethesda Game Studios staffers join others who have successfully formed unions with the CWA, includingSega of Americaand Activision Blizzard. Earlier this year, the CWAfiled Unfair Labor Practice chargesagainst Activision QA supplier Lionbridge Technologies after they allegedly fired the entirety of a 160-person team in retaliation for union-related activities.
In August of last year, the CODE-CWAannouncedthat there were more than 4,000 tech, game, and digital worker members in the CWA. It’s heartening to see that number growing, given months and months of firing, closures, and ‘quiet layoffs’ - in which companies effectivelyterminate vulnerable employeeswith return-to-office mandates.
In May of this year, Microsoftshuttered several studios, includingHi-Fi Rushmakers Tango Gameworks andPreystudio Arkane Austin.
