Unionised staff at COD studio Raven Software says Activision is stalling over contract talks

Unionised staff at Call of Duty studio Raven Software have filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board after claims that Activision and Microsoft are stalling over contract negotiations.

The complaint, as reported by GameFile, alleged that Activision and Microsoft are guilty of “Refusal to Bargain / Bad Faith Bargaining”.

“After Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software,” CWA president Claude Cummings Jr told Game File.

“Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the Unfair Labor Practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”

A Microsoft spokesperson told Game File: “We are committed to negotiating in good faith.”

Activision Blizzard officially recognised the union, which was established by a group of QA workers, in 2022. The Game Workers Alliance was the first labour union formed at a major US gaming company.

At time, then Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said: “With the election having concluded, we will engage in good faith negotiations to enter into a collective bargaining agreement.

“While first labor contracts can take some time to complete, we will meet CWA leaders at the bargaining table and work toward an agreement that supports the success of all our employees, that further strengthens our commitment to create the industry’s best, most welcoming and inclusive workplace, and enhances our ability to deliver world class games for our players.”