All eligible job titles at Bethesda Game Studios will be represented by the CWA
Bethesda Game Studios workers formed a historic union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Microsoft recognized the union but no contract has been finalized yet
Union negotiations for first contract will begin
In a historic moment for the US game industry labor movement, developers at Bethesda Game Studios have formed a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This marks the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft game studio, meaning that all eligible job titles will be represented by the CWA instead of just one type of worker. The union, which includes artists, designers, programmers, and engineers from across the studio's three offices in Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, was voted on by 241 employees. Microsoft has recognized the union but no contract has been finalized yet.
Bethesda Game Studios is known for making open-world RPGs like Fallout 3 and Skyrim. The studio's unionization comes as Bethesda prepares to ship its Shattered Space expansion for Starfield and Fallout sees a major resurgence in popularity due to the Amazon Prime adaptation.
Unlike recent unionization efforts at Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and beyond, which focused primarily on quality assurance testers, this wall-to-wall union represents workers from across all of the different disciplines and departments needed to make the blockbuster hits Bethesda is famous for. The process went so quickly and smoothly due to a neutrality agreement Microsoft made with the CWA promising not to fight unionization efforts or require formal elections.
Union workers at Bethesda will now begin negotiating their first contract. So far, only the union at Sega of America has ratified a collective bargaining agreement at a major gaming company.
Bethesda Game Studios, with locations in Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, announced the formation of a union under the Communication Workers of America (CWA) with a membership of 241 developers.
This marks a historic moment in the US game industry labour movement.
Microsoft has recognized the union but no contract has been finalized yet.
Bethesda Games Studios employees have formed a union with the Communication Workers of America (CWA), making it the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft game studio.
The union was voted on by 241 artists, engineers, programmers, and designers across three offices.
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