Yesterday, a captive audience meeting was held at Raven Software, in which anti-union propaganda was given to the workers. As such, the GWA would like to address some of the questions that may arise about unionization.
Q: What is the bargaining unit that is being voted for? Will it represent all of Raven?
A: The intended bargaining unit will only include Raven QA, but we will support, and stand in solidarity with, all other Raven workers organizing a union as they become ready.
Q: If the union is formed, will people in other departments be represented by the union?
A: The union will only represent those who are part of the intended bargaining unit, that being Raven QA. Activision has opted to try to include the entire studio in an act of union-busting.
Q: Why is Raven QA voting for a union that represents everyone?
A: We aren’t. Raven QA has shown that they have support within their team to establish a union. The GWA has no intention of representing people outside of our intended bargaining unit. Every team should have the opportunity to represent themselves!
Leadership asked questions about all the bad things a union could do. But they failed to ask what good things a union could do. Below are a few! A union could:
– Allow us to negotiate work-from-home policies without risking pay or benefits.
– Protect from termination without cause
– Allow for greater PTO allowances and accrual rates
– Ensure greater disability accommodations
– Decrease crunch and ensure that workers are fairly compensated for overtime
– Improve benefits, including employer-provided healthcare
– Ensure easier access to promotions
– Establish more equitable and diverse hiring practices
– Establish protections against sexual harassment past established federal requirements
– Bring democracy to the workplace through collective bargaining
We, the workers, have listened to the needs of our co-workers and are standing together in solidarity through the unionization process. We are disappointed to hear anti-union propaganda after months of being told by leadership that transparency and communication would improve. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our co-workers and are ready to take a seat around the negotiating table, together, in order to positively shape our shared working conditions.
We are the union. We are GWA.
Game Workers Alliance 