Organizing Update

ZeniMax/Microsoft

Quality Assurance workers at ZeniMax Media, a video game maker owned by Microsoft, proudly announced the launch of their union with CWA. The group of more than 300 workers is the first in the United States to officially form a union at Microsoft, which is honoring its stated labor principles and staying neutral to let workers at its ZeniMax studio decide for themselves whether they want a union. The union and Microsoft agreed to a free and fair recognition process: workers can indicate if they want to join the union by signing an authorization card or voting using an online platform. The vote will conclude at the end of the month. The ZeniMax workers' groundbreaking efforts to form a union, of one of the largest groups of tech workers at a prominent studio, adds to the wave of tech and game industry workers who are organizing with CODE-CWA for a better workplace.

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Activision Blizzard

Quality Assurance testers at Activision Blizzard in Albany, N.Y., formerly Vicarious Visions, unanimously voted in favor of forming a union with CWA after being denied voluntary recognition. The workers, who remained united and strong throughout the campaign, mobilized to fight back against the company’s attempts to prevent them from holding an election. Their win follows another victory by Quality Assurance workers at Activision’s Raven Software studio in Wisconsin who made history as the first major video game studio workers to win their union election.

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Apple

The National Relations Board has found merit on an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge filed by CWA against Apple for using illegal tactics to interfere with workers’ organizing efforts at its retail store in Atlanta. The company held mandatory captive audience meetings, unlawfully interrogated employees, solicited grievances, and informed workers that union representation would lead to less favorable terms and conditions. The finding affirms that mandatory meetings to discourage union membership are considered a direct violation of the National Labor Relations Act, which could help set a precedent for future infringements on workers’ rights. Apple Retail Union/CWA is currently waiting to hear from the NLRB on several unresolved ULP charges, including the interrogation of workers and threat to withhold benefits from workers at the Penn Square store in Oklahoma City.

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Delta Air Lines

AFA-CWA, along with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, announced a coordinated campaign to support Delta Air Lines Flight Attendants and other workers who are fighting to organize their unions. Delta is the only U.S.-based mainline carrier where Flight Attendants, fleet service, and mechanics are not represented by a union. Delta produced nearly double the profits of other U.S. airlines in pre-pandemic years, and the airline is on a path to record profitability again. “Delta Flight Attendants are the heart of the airline and key to its industry-leading success. They deserve a union contract that leads the industry too,” said Sara Nelson, President of AFA-CWA. “Flight Attendants have been organizing over the course of the turbulent pandemic and have begun officially collecting cards. We’re thrilled to support Delta fleet service workers organizing with the IAM and Delta mechanics organizing with the Teamsters."

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Noble Knight Games

A month after announcing the formation of their union, workers at Noble Knight Games in Fitchburg, Wis., won voluntary recognition from the company. The workers, who had already begun voting in a National Labor Relations Board union representation election, actively mobilized to push back against the company’s initial union busting efforts and build support for their union from customers, elected officials, and other community members to put pressure on the company. The group of 60 workers, including those who provide customer service, ship online orders from its warehouse, and work at its storefront, are seeking higher pay, affordable benefits, a healthy work-life balance, fair and transparent policies, and more.