Activision Blizzard Face Huge Lawsuit From California Over Horrifying Harassment Of Employees

[killamch89]

You see folks - what do I keep telling you about these companies that seem to be "down for the cause". All they care about is money - that's their one and only goal - every last one of them. Employee comfort and proper working conditions are a distant last and its our good friends Activision Blizzard in the news this time. California is suing them for the harassment of employees and though I know this won't go anywhere as it always does, it'll make people remember that the gaming industry is horrible place from employees. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Empire]

I just went down the rabbit hole and read all about this, it's absolutely vile, disgusting and in my humble opinion Blizzard should be liquidated. This isn't "cancel culture" either, this is is serious and I cannot believe some of the things I read, they don't deserve to be in business anymore, period.

[m76]

18 minutes ago, Empire said:

I just went down the rabbit hole and read all about this, it's absolutely vile, disgusting and in my humble opinion Blizzard should be liquidated. This isn't "cancel culture" either, this is is serious and I cannot believe some of the things I read, they don't deserve to be in business anymore, period.

The problem with cancel culture is that it is indistinguishable from real wrongdoing. You can't even say it is the boy who cried wolf too many times, because it is not those who suffer who cried wolf over nothing, or for personal gain, but the real victims of abuse.

[m76]

And even in this case they are diluting the lawsuit by piggybacking other things on it, like backpay based on past wage disparity. As I've mentioned before just because two people hold the same job title at a company doesn't mean they do the exact same tasks, and that they have equal value to the company. This has nothing to do with sexism and including this in the case makes it harder to get justice for the real victims.

Edited July 23, 2021 by m76

[killamch89]

10 hours ago, m76 said:

The problem with cancel culture is that it is indistinguishable from real wrongdoing. You can't even say it is the boy who cried wolf too many times, because it is not those who suffer who cried wolf over nothing, or for personal gain, but the real victims of abuse.

I agree - this whole "cancel culture" and "me too" thing has made it harder for real victims of many forms of abuse to get any kind of help because they'll be scrutinized severely.

[Empire]

I’m sure there’s some good honest people working at Activison but for those who work there and treat their female coworkers like that I hope the get what they deserve. There’s not a word in any language has for how messed up that is

[Shagger]

YongYea made a follow up video detailing Blizzard's response, and this has not helped thier case at all.

 

 

Well, there is little doubt in my mind that the "Frat Boy" culture at Blizzard is a real thing and that little to nothing has been done about it. I hope the get shafted for this. J Allan Barrack should resign and someone from outside he company with a proven record of managing a company with a favourable reputation when it comes to employee fait treatment should come i to weed out this current culture at Blizzard. Employees shouldn't trust the current management and thier word that things will "get better" and that they have a "zero tolerance pricy" against harassment when it's the same management who let this carry on for years.

 

22 hours ago, m76 said:

And even in this case they are diluting the lawsuit by piggybacking other things on it, like backpay based on past wage disparity. As I've mentioned before just because two people hold the same job title at a company doesn't mean they do the exact same tasks, and that they have equal value to the company. This has nothing to do with sexism and including this in the case makes it harder to get justice for the real victims.

 

Why am I not surprised to see you and try and make victims out to be problem for calling this shit out?

 

Paying men more than woman for doing the same job is a valid part of the lawsuit as it's misogynistic and discriminatory in exactly the same way as denying woman promotions because "if the get pregnant they wouldn't be able to fulfil their duties".

 

I worked in a number of places and the only time I have never seen two people doing the same job in the same department at the same place of work getting payed different amounts is when is when one is a contractor and the other a core employee with the company (Typically contractors get payed more at the cost of having less benefits and less job security). That claim of yours that it's fair for two people in the same job at the same company as employees of that company with similar experience can get payed different amounts because "the tasks are different" is bullshit, and whoever told you that is a liar. I doesn't matter if one of them is far better at the job than the other, that is never a factor. If the company decided they're both qualified by hiring them, they're both same on paper, and that's that and they deserve equal pay and benefits. If the tasks were different enough to warrant different amounts of pay, it would be listed as a different job entirely, or at least that's how it should be. So even if that is Blizzards excuse, it doesn't exactly help them. It'll just be another example of employees being mistreated. That would be the case even if it turned out the woman was getting payed more, so you're right about one thing, that issue has got nothing to with sexism. However, I can't help but get the feeling that it's the woman getting payed less in this scenario with Blizzard and does bring the possibility of sexual discrimination back into it.

 

This isn't cancel culture, this isn't anti-cooperate mobbing, this real life with real people where really get hurt and have thier will, self-esteem and mental health in general be badly affected. One woman even committed suicide during one of Blizzard's company trips because the "guys" were passing around nude photo's of her. So forgive me for offering no sympathy that this situation has once again questioned the reality you want to live in, but I really don't care how this affects you. I don't care because it's people like you who deny how racism, sexism, misogyny ect has been ingrained into society that is what allows it to keep happening. You are part of the problem, and you will continue to be part of the problem until you get off whatever planet your on and come back to earth.

 

I've said my piece and thusly I will not respond you you on this thread because I know how stubborn we both are and refuse to waste any more of my time, but for your sake you have got to re-evaluate yourself.

[m76]

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

Why am I not surprised to see you and try and make victims out to be problem for calling this shit out?

Because again you are misconstruing what I wrote. I specifically mentioned that this makes it harder to get justice for actual victims, loading down the lawsuit with things that are maybe, imho not as important as employees driven to suicide, don't you think? But of course you ignore that part completely because it does not fit with your narrative about me.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

 

Paying men more than woman for doing the same job is a valid part of the lawsuit as it's misogynistic and discriminatory in exactly the same way as denying woman promotions because "if the get pregnant they wouldn't be able to fulfil their duties".

I specifically said paying different amounts for the "same job description" is not proof of any wrongdoing. Not for doing the same job. If they were literally doing the same job at the same seniority level at the same quality and for the same hours they should get paid equally, but this is a hypothetical that is so rare it is almost non existent in real life.

If there is proof that they didn't promote women because "They might get pregnant" that's again another thing. Which is hard to prove, unless they are on record admitting to it.

 

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

 

I worked in a number of places and the only time I have never seen two people doing the same job in the same department at the same place of work getting payed different amounts is when is when one is a contractor and the other a core employee with the company (Typically contractors get payed more at the cost of having less benefits and less job security).

Again your anger overcomes reason, because that sentence makes zero sense. I think what you are trying to say is that you never saw two employees getting paid different amounts for doing the same job. Well I'll try to answer that: I've never seen two people at any office environment in any position who would've done the exact same job, in the exact same quality, and would've had the exact same abilities and talents. Despite their contractual job descriptions being the same. So would you say it is fair to pay everyone exactly the same regardless of the quality of work they do, and the responsibilities they take on? Because  I think it is highly unfair. This cannot be judged discrimination only by the fact that women on average were paid less.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

That claim of yours that it's fair for two people in the same job at the same company as employees of that company with similar experience can get payed different amounts because "the tasks are different" is bullshit, and whoever told you that is a liar.

LOL, I don't base my opinions on hearsay. I base it on my own work experience. And the numerous people who worked for me or under me. Many people do wildly different quality work, and their performance can also be extremely varying. One person would do a task in 3 days, that another would do better in one day. Should they get paid 3 times more then? Of course not, but companies need to show appreciation to people who are better and more driven / motivated. This notion of yours that two people in the same position always should get the exact same payment is born of ignorance and naivety.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

I doesn't matter if one of them is far better at the job than the other, that is never a factor. If the company decided they're both qualified by hiring them, they're both same on paper, and that's that and they deserve equal pay and benefits

Well that's exactly the problem, to you a person is just a name on a paper, no personality, no individuality, you think you can judge people by their group identities. Yes job description is also a group identity too. And judging a person by their job description is the vilest thing I can think of.

No, they don't deserve equal pay, unless their performance is exactly the same. Do you know how insane you sound? If you'd pay the exact same to the better employee as the ones who do a worse job, then you only de-motivate those who do the best work. Hurting the company in the process and also the self esteem of the above average employees. While on the other hand rewarding motivated people can maybe get the slackers to perform better as well.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

. If the tasks were different enough to warrant different amounts of pay, it would be listed as a different job entirely, or at least that's how it should be.

You might be right if we were talking about a job at an assembly line, but developing a game is entirely another thing. No two people will do the exact same job all the time. Sometime they may overlap, but definitely not all the time. People also have unique experiences that have value to a company. If you are the only person who has the know how for certain tasks you have more value to the company than those who only do common stuff. That doesn't mean the company needs to invent a position just for you then. I've seen that too, and it was ridiculous, when basically almost every employee was titled as some kind of manager.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

 

 So even if that is Blizzards excuse, it doesn't exactly help them. It'll just be another example of employees being mistreated. That would be the case even if it turned out the woman was getting payed more, so you're right about one thing, that issue has got nothing to with sexism. However, I can't help but get the feeling that it's the woman getting payed less in this scenario with Blizzard and does bring the possibility of sexual discrimination back into it.

And that is why it is a different case and should not be mixed into the one about harassment, weakening it which was exactly my point to begin with.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

 

This isn't cancel culture, this isn't anti-cooperate mobbing, this real life with real people where really get hurt and have thier will, self-esteem and mental health in general be badly affected. One woman even committed suicide during one of Blizzard's company trips because the "guys" were passing around nude photo's of her. So forgive me for offering no sympathy that this situation has once again questioned the reality you want to live in, but I really don't care how this affects you. I don't care because it's people like you who deny how racism, sexism, misogyny ect has been ingrained into society that is what allows it to keep happening. You are part of the problem, and you will continue to be part of the problem until you get off whatever planet your on and come back to earth.

I'm not passing sympathy for blizzard I said that this is why cancel culture is a problem, because when real cases like this come to light people are less inclined to take them seriously.

58 minutes ago, Shagger said:

 

I've said my piece and thusly I will not respond you you on this thread because I know how stubborn we both are and refuse to waste any more of my time, but for your sake you have got to re-evaluate yourself.

I'm glad that you pre-emptively deciding that you are right and I can be only wrong about everything. I think you are the one who needs to re-evaluate and self reflect if to you employees are only names on a piece of paper.

[Shagger]

16 minutes ago, m76 said:

I specifically said paying different amounts for the "same job description" is not proof of any wrongdoing. Not for doing the same job

 

Like I said, I refused to baited by you, so I'm responding to any of that nonsense you just said (although I do feel sorry for anyone who has had the misfortune to work for you if you think that's how it's supposed to work, but commission based jobs aside that really isn't how it works, so that's probably not true), but I do need point out that the quote above is a blatant a lie. This is what you said;

 

On 7/23/2021 at 12:47 PM, m76 said:

And even in this case they are diluting the lawsuit by piggybacking other things on it, like backpay based on past wage disparity. As I've mentioned before just because two people hold the same job title at a company doesn't mean they do the exact same tasks, and that they have equal value to the company. This has nothing to do with sexism and including this in the case makes it harder to get justice for the real victims.

 

Edited July 24, 2021 by Shagger

[Shagger]

Former Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime has issued a statement/apology on the issue published by Kotaku.

 

I believe he's sincere in his apology, but Mike, you were at Blizzard for nearly 30 years with this happening right under you nose, so this is too little and far, FAR to late given that at least one woman has lost her life over this and god knows how many others have has thier self-esteem destroyed. If this misogynistic, "Frat Boy" culture was not what you and J. Allen Brack wanted at the company, why didn't you do something about it? Morhaime, Brack, you can both shove a large, seasoned onion between the lips you never kiss with like the turkeys you both are. At least Mike Morhaime is showing some sincerity and taking responsibility.

Edited July 25, 2021 by Shagger

[Demon_skeith]

Kind of disturbing really, Blizzard should double down, clear out anyone who has been making trouble and start over before they find themselves a thing of the past.

[killamch89]

These execs and former execs are always "sorry" when they get caught or are named in such a serious scenario. Listen to this crap:

 

[Demon_skeith]

4 hours ago, killamch89 said:

These execs and former execs are always "sorry" when they get caught or are named in such a serious scenario. Listen to this crap:

 

Of course they are, which is why action says more than someone in front of a camera knowing they had been found out.

[killamch89]

19 hours ago, Demon_skeith said:

Of course they are, which is why action says more than someone in front of a camera knowing they had been found out.

He's the former exec so he'll probably not get as much heat as the current exec but something like this has been going on for years so I hope they do sue him as well.

[killamch89]

You see this is why I've always advocated for the unionization of employees in the gaming industry because this is what happens when you leave a corporation to see to the welfare of its employees.