After two years of negotiations, Zenimax Workers United-CWA, the union representing the quality assurance workers of Zenimax Media, has signed a tentative union contract with Microsoft. The union was originally established in 2023 and was immediately recognized by Microsoft, which promised to be neutral in Zenimax official organizations in 2024.
The CWA said the new contract will cover more than 300 Zenimax employees, including “a substantial increase in overall wages and a minimum wage for workers.” The contract also includes language that protects workers from AI and “a credit policy that clearly recognizes the contribution of quality assurance workers to the video games they help create.”
“For years, video games have been an income giant for the entire entertainment industry, and the workers who develop these games are often exploited for their passion and creativity.” “Our first contract was an invitation to invite video game professionals from all over the world to take action. We are the people who make these games and we will be the ones who set new standards for fair treatment.”
The new contract is considered “tentative” until union members approve the contract, but since existing contracts are often references in ongoing negotiations, Zenimax workers guarantee agreements may become the standard for other future unions. Zenimax QA testers are not Microsoft’s only video game alliance, QA workers are Raven Software, QA workers at Activision, Zenimax Online Studios and the development team behind it Overwatch Everyone is still in active negotiations with the company.
In addition to Microsoft, CWA also announced the Joint Gaming Workers CWA Alliance at this year’s GDC as another representative option. United Game Workers-CWA is a direct joining alliance, and is a worker in an industry that can participate without legal recognition from employers. The idea is that workers currently employed, anyone fired, and freelancers can work together to exert power, even if there is no potential contract holding balance.
