Video game employees file for unionization

[Kane99]

I am all for this. It looks like video game employees are filing for unionization from Activision/Blizzard. According to the article (link below), the group for unionization includes designers, animators, engineers, producers, and quality assurance workers. 

I sure hope they make it happen, because I think the gaming industry needs unions to make sure that developers and anyone else working for the big companies gets a fair deal for the work they do and they aren't force to crunch to make a release date. 

This can be the first step to making it safer for workers going forward. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/video-game-employees-file-for-unionization/ar-AA15HZ87

So far this is just Activision/Blizzard, but we could see this push other teams to try and unionize as well. 

[The Blackangel]

If they're able to we could be able to expect more quality games instead of broken and/or unfinished games. I don't know much of anything about unions, but what I do know is that they're usually a boost for the workers. More reasonable wages, more worker rights, and just in general higher morale in the workspace. Unless the head of the union gets greedy or something.

[Reality vs Adventure]

The gaming industry is sorely lacking unionization as we have seen all kinds of worker abuse in the industry. Without that abuse, workers could focus more on their jobs and invite more talent from those who respect a respectable workplace with included benefits they may not have had. A union could even put the publishers in check who may be encouraging abuse by rushing the release of games, and ultimately even decrease the number of broken games. I'm not sure how a union would work with Activision as they are now under the umbrella of Microsoft, which isn't a union friendly corporation. But I guess a developer can have a union independently of the umbrella corporation. 

Zenimax Studios, also under Microsoft, who even owns Bethesda games also are trying get into a union. Communications Workers of America is the Union trying to unionize Zenimax and also Activision. The Union even wrote to the FTC stating that they would support Microsoft's Activision acquisition if employees were unionized. 

“We now support approval of the transaction before you because Microsoft has entered an agreement with CWA to ensure the workers of Activision Blizzard have a clear path to collective bargaining.” CWA president Chris Shelton added, “Microsoft’s binding commitments will give employees a seat at the table and ensure that the acquisition of Activision Blizzard benefits the company’s workers and the broader video game labor market.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/microsoft-activision-blizzard-deal-supported-labor-union-1235174379/

That link also talks about CWA Union and Microsoft having a Labor Neutrality Agreement where they agree that Microsoft wouldn't interfere with unionization of employees under Microsoft's umbrella. That does sound good, moving in the right direction, but still doesn't change the fact that the acquisition may violate antitrust laws. I think the only reason Microsoft is agreeing to this is so they don't lose to the FTC, just like wanting a 10 year deal to share COD. Agreements only allow big corporations to continue their monopoly. They need to answer to laws if any were violated after investigating. How long will Microsoft's ass kissing last? Will they throw it all out the window if the Activision acquisition is finalized?