Unionised employees at Raven Software have reached a significant milestone by securing their inaugural contract with Microsoft, marking a pivotal moment in their ongoing journey. According to journalist Shannon Liao, this agreement comes after nearly three years of negotiations involving 19 quality assurance staff members from the renowned Call of Duty developer.
Key Provisions of the Contract
Erin Hall, a QA tester and a member of the bargaining team for the Raven union, expressed her sentiments on this achievement, stating, “It feels like we’ve been sprinting a marathon, and so to finally be at the end of it is kind of unbelievable.” The newly established contract introduces several noteworthy provisions aimed at enhancing the working conditions and overall compensation for the staff.
- Compensation Increase: Employees will receive a ten percent increase in their compensation over the next two years.
- Remote Work Flexibility: The contract allows for permanent work-from-home arrangements.
- Overtime Regulations: It reduces instances of mandatory overtime and mandates that Raven provide unionised QA staff with a minimum of seven days’ notice for any required overtime work.
Autumn Prazuch, another QA tester and member of the bargaining group, highlighted the importance of clarity in career progression within the QA department. She remarked, “For so long we haven’t had those [answers], to be able to curate them with the company and come to an agreement… that I think is our crowning achievement, the thing that I’m most proud of.”
The journey towards unionisation began in 2022 when Raven staff voted to unionise, with Activision Blizzard recognising the bargaining unit shortly thereafter. However, in August 2024, the union raised concerns, accusing Microsoft and Activision Blizzard of negotiating in “bad faith,” indicating that the path ahead may still hold challenges for the newly formed union.
