Members of the Games Workers Alliance (GWA) at Raven Software have voted unanimously to ratify its first union contract with Microsoft.
Announced on Monday, this contract comes after “more than three years of organizing and bargaining” between the two parties.
Per the terms of this new contract, union members will receive a “guaranteed” 10 percent wage increase over two years with “additional raises through merit and promotions”. These new wage increases come after going a year and a half without raises and 45 months with no promotions.
On top of that, there is now a mandatory seven day notice for any mandatory overtime and no “excessive overtime on back-to-back weeks” and “no mandatory overtime of any duration for the majority of weeks in a quarter.”
Other parts of the contract include:
- Bridging of time worked as a temporary or contract employee
- Defined job descriptions
- A fair promotions process
- Expanded disability accommodations
- Layoff protections including severance, recall rights, generous COBRA subsidies, and career transition services
“From day one, we made it a priority to include every voice in the room, and the contract we came out with reflects what we need—better pay, real career paths, and protection from burnout,” Raven Software QA tester and bargaining committee member Erin Hall said. “It’s a contract that actually values the work QA does. I’m proud of what we accomplished, and I hope it shows other game workers that organizing works—and it’s worth it.”
CWA District 4 vice president Linida Hinton added, “By reaching an agreement with Microsoft that puts limits on excessive sustained overtime, also known as crunch, these members are tackling one of the most exploitative practices in the industry and setting new standards for quality assurance testers and video game workers overall.”
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Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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Microsoft needs to get Raven Software the DC license to make games like X-Men Legends again but with DC. Or get the Top Cow and Youngblood licenses to do this.