(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS) - A super-majority of Workers at Activision Blizzard’s Proletariat Studio have announced that they are forming the Proletariat Workers Alliance/Communications Workers of America (CWA), and have filed for a Union Representation Election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Prior to filing for an election, the Workers asked management to voluntarily recognize their Union and respect their right to organize without retaliation or interference.

The company has not said whether or not they will recognize the Union.

The Proletariat Workers are the third group of Activision Blizzard Workers to file for a Union Representation Election with CWA.

The 57 Workers in the Unit include Animators, Designers, Engineers, Producers and Quality Assurance Workers.

Last year, Quality Assurance Workers at Activision’s Raven Software Studio in Wisconsin and Blizzard Albany won their Union Elections, despite Activision Blizzard’s repeated attempts to prevent Workers from voting.

“Everyone in the Video Game Industry knows Activision Blizzard’s reputation for creating a hostile work environment, so earlier this year, when we heard that Blizzard was planning to acquire Proletariat, we started to discuss how we could protect the great culture we have created here,” said Dustin Yost, a Software Engineer at Proletariat. “By forming a Union and negotiating a contract, we can make sure that we are able to continue doing our best work and create innovative experiences at the frontier of game development.”

Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard, and in early December, after Workers at its ZeniMax Video Game Studio decided to organize a Union with CWA, the company agreed to remain neutral and agreed to a streamlined process for determining if a majority of Workers wanted to join the Union.

Microsoft has entered into a legally-binding agreement with CWA to remain neutral and provide a streamlined process for Workers to choose Union Representation at Activision Blizzard if their acquisition of the company is successful.

“Activision leadership’s attempts to prevent its Workers from joining together in a Union have not only been a waste of time and money, they have caused further damage to morale and underlined the company’s reputation for creating a toxic, hostile work environment,” CWA Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens said.

“Microsoft has shown that even the largest American corporations can choose a different path and allow Workers to freely and fairly choose whether or not they want Union Representation. It’s not too late for Activision’s leadership to change course and begin to repair the company’s public image and the relationship with their Workers by recognizing the Proletariat Workers’ Union and committing to productive engagement at the bargaining table,” Steffens said.

To Continue Reading This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: https://cwa-union.org/proletariat_joins_communications_workers_of_america_union