Nearly 600 quality assurance testers at Activision, many based in the Minnesota office, have voted to authorize a strike as contract negotiations with the Microsoft-owned publisher remain stalled. The union, formed in March 2024 and represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), has been working for over two years to secure its first collective bargaining agreement.
Testers involved in preparing "Modern Warfare 4" for its October 16 launch voiced frustration with the protracted bargaining process. "Bargaining has been a long, exhausting process spanning over two years, with our committee making responsible moves while the company continues to stall on critical issues like wages, accommodations, and worker protections," said AQAU-CWA bargaining committee member and QA functional tester Emily Danko in a press release. She added that despite efforts to bargain in good faith, meaningful progress has been difficult, leaving key issues unresolved.
Key Issues and Activision's Response
The Activision developers accuse the "Call of Duty" publisher of failing to bargain in good faith on several fronts, including wage increases, the implementation of artificial intelligence, and the company's use of contractors. A strike authorization vote does not guarantee a strike will occur, but it signifies the union has cleared the final procedural step required before they can call for a work stoppage at any time.
A spokesperson for Activision stated that the company has been working in good faith with the CWA for the Central QA team and has made meaningful progress on several issues. "Our goal is a fair first contract that supports our QA team members and the long-term success of the business," the spokesperson said via email. "We remain committed to open dialogue with the union and have offered to meet again on October 21 and 22. We respect our employees’ right to engage in protected activity, including the right to strike. We have plans in place to ensure there is no disruption to players or upcoming game releases."
Despite Activision's assurances, the potential for a strike looms over the crucial holiday sales period for "Modern Warfare 4." QA functional tester Jenna Huffman emphasized the importance of fair treatment and contract terms for the testers working on the game. "Our workers expect fair pay, fair treatment, and the fair contract we’ve spent over two years bargaining for," Huffman stated. "We’re forced to come into work every day without fair accommodations and we continue to be under constant threat of sweeping layoffs without meaningful protections."
Union Size and AI Concerns
The QA group has seen its ranks shrink by nearly a third since it first unionized, now comprising just over 400 individuals compared to the nearly 600 at the start of 2024. "The games still need testing, updates still need to ship, and players still expect quality," Danko noted. "When the workforce shrinks but the work continues, it raises legitimate questions about how that work is redistributed, how workloads change, and whether remaining employees are being asked to do more with less."
One significant point of contention is the integration of AI into Activision's operations, particularly within the testing departments. QA is often cited as a discipline susceptible to automation via generative AI tools. Danko countered this perspective by stating, "QA is more than checking boxes. It requires human judgment, contextual understanding, and the ability to recognize problems that automated systems may miss."
Labor Relations Shift
Following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a temporary labor neutrality agreement with the CWA facilitated an initial period of unionization. However, this agreement expired last fall, and testers report a shift in the company's approach to negotiations. "Since the agreement expired, the company has been significantly bolder in their attempts to push the bounds of status quo, while further slowing the rate of negotiations at the table," Huffman observed. This contrasts with the sentiment expressed by Microsoft's deputy general counsel Amy Pannoni at the time of the union's formation, who anticipated a "positive labor management relationship." Danko concluded, "A positive labor-management relationship requires more than supportive words; it requires meaningful engagement, good-faith negotiations, and a willingness to work toward solutions."