In a significant development for the gaming industry, over 450 employees dedicated to the Diablo franchise at Blizzard have officially voted to unionize. This newly formed bargaining unit, as announced by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), encompasses a diverse array of roles, including developers, artists, engineers, and support staff.
Voices of Change
Team Three game producer Kelly Yeo expressed her relief and enthusiasm regarding the union’s formation. She noted the growing anxiety among her colleagues in the face of ongoing mass layoffs, stating, “With every subsequent round of mass layoffs, I’ve witnessed the dread in my coworkers grow stronger because it feels like no amount of hard work is enough to protect us.” Yeo emphasized that the union represents a crucial first step towards joining a larger movement within the industry, one that seeks to alleviate the pervasive fear among workers and advocate for meaningful change.
CWA Local 9510 President Jason Justice echoed this sentiment, highlighting the significance of this moment for California’s gaming sector. “Diablo workers are the latest to show that California has become a hub for video game worker organizing,” he remarked. “What’s happening here is part of a much larger story about turning the tide in an industry that has long overlooked its labor.”
Justice further underscored the collective strength of entertainment workers across various sectors, stating, “Entertainment workers across film, television, music, and now video games are standing together to have a seat at the table. The strength of our movement comes from that solidarity.”
This unionization effort marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue about labor rights within the gaming industry, as workers increasingly seek to assert their voices and influence the future of their workplaces.
