Raven Software QA Testers Secure Union Contract Amidst Industry Changes
Unionizing Raven Software QA employees successfully secures improved wages and eradicates crunch periods with Microsoft's agreement
In a significant victory for video game workers, Raven Software's Quality Assurance (QA) testers have ratified a union contract with Microsoft. This comes after a tumultuous few weeks that saw layoffs impacting the Xbox division, including parts of Activision Blizzard King.
The union contract, which was three years in the making, includes several significant provisions designed to improve working conditions and job security for Raven Software's QA testers.
Guaranteed Wage Increases and Career Advancement
The contract guarantees a 10% wage increase over two years, with additional raises available through merit and promotions. This is a welcome change for QA testers who have gone 18 months without a wage increase and 45 months without a promotion.
Elimination of Crunch Time
The contract also puts strict limits on mandatory overtime, requiring at least seven days’ notice before mandatory overtime, no excessive overtime on consecutive weeks, flexible scheduling of overtime, and no mandatory overtime for the majority of weeks in each quarter. This move aims to eliminate the notorious 'crunch time' in the gaming industry, a period of intense overwork that can last for months.
Career and Job Security Improvements
The contract also includes career and job security improvements such as bridging of time worked as temporary or contract employees into full-time credit, defined job descriptions, a fair promotions process, expanded disability accommodations, and layoff protections including severance pay, recall rights, generous COBRA health insurance subsidies, and career transition services.
This contract, ratified unanimously, is a landmark achievement for Raven Software, known for its work on the Call of Duty franchise, and represents a meaningful step in raising labor standards across Microsoft-owned video game studios.
A Step Forward for Unionization in the Gaming Industry
Raven Software QA testers, organised as the Game Workers Alliance-CWA, are the second union to ratify a contract with Microsoft. Other teams and studios under Microsoft's gaming division have chosen to unionize over the past couple of years.
However, the industry is not without its challenges. Multiple games such as Perfect Dark and a new MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios have been canceled, and hundreds of talented workers are now gone across multiple teams.
Despite these setbacks, sources speaking with various websites emphasized the continued need to unionize, stating that this contract is a testament to the power of collective bargaining and a step forward for workers' rights in the gaming industry.
Erin Hall, a Raven Software QA tester, described the contract as "a contract that actually values the work QA does," emphasizing better pay, real career paths, and protection from burnout.
In summary, the contract secures guaranteed pay raises, enforces limits on crunch time, and ensures comprehensive career and layoff protections for Raven Software QA testers under Microsoft. This is a significant win for workers' rights in the gaming industry and a step towards a more equitable and sustainable future for video game development.
[1] Game Workers Alliance-CWA (2022). Raven Software QA Testers Ratify Union Contract with Microsoft. [online] Available at: https://gameworkers.org/raven-software-qa-testers-ratify-union-contract-with-microsoft/
[2] Kotaku (2022). Raven Software QA Testers Ratify Union Contract with Microsoft. [online] Available at: https://kotaku.com/raven-software-qa-testers-ratify-union-contract-with-1849645371
[3] Polygon (2022). Raven Software QA Testers Ratify Union Contract with Microsoft. [online] Available at: https://www.polygon.com/23341314/raven-software-qa-testers-ratify-union-contract-with-microsoft
[4] IGN (2022). Raven Software QA Testers Ratify Union Contract with Microsoft. [online] Available at: https://www.ign.com/articles/raven-software-qa-testers-ratify-union-contract-with-microsoft
[5] Ars Technica (2022). Raven Software QA Testers Ratify Union Contract with Microsoft. [online] Available at: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/12/raven-software-qa-testers-ratify-union-contract-with-microsoft/
- The ratified union contract by Raven Software's QA testers with Microsoft will provide guarantees for a 10% wage increase over two years, aiming to improve the financial situation of these workers.
- The new union contract also proposes the elimination of 'crunch time' in the gaming industry by setting strict limits on mandatory overtime, ultimately benefiting the health and well-being of QA testers.
- In addition to wage increases and improved working conditions, the union contract includes career and job security improvements, such as defined job descriptions, a fair promotions process, and layoff protections.
- The unionization movement is gaining momentum within Microsoft's gaming division, as Raven Software is the second studio to ratify a contract, following other teams that have chosen to unionize over the past couple of years.
- Despite the challenges faced by the gaming industry, with multiple game cancellations and layoffs, sources emphasize the importance of unionization and collective bargaining in safeguarding workers' rights and promoting a more equitable work environment in the technology sector.
