QA workers at Blizzard ratify union contract with Microsoft
A majority of quality assurance workers at Blizzard studios in Albany and Austin have ratified a union contract at Microsoft after just under three years of negotiations.
In a statement to press, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) said employees in Albany and Austin—represented by CWA Locals 1118 and 6215, respectively—"overwhelming voted" to ratify a contract that guarantees wage increases, enhanced regulations around the usage of generative AI in the workplace, and crediting protections.
The three-year contract also secures reasonable disability accommodations, protections that shield immigrant workers from unfair discipline and loss of seniority while streamlining legal verification, and mandatory overtime restrictions designed to prevent crunch.
CWA Local 6215 member and Blizzard Austin senior quality analyst Matt Gant said the contract can help deliver career stability and security.
"After nearly two decades in the video game industry, it feels great to work with my fellow union members in ratifying a fair contract that makes it easier to see a real, long-term career in this work," Gant.
"This agreement gives us a better working environment with increased pay, benefits, and layoff protections that include recall rights and ensures that quality assurance work remains a stable and respected role for the workers who will build games long after us."
CWA Local 6215 President Ron Swaggerty explained the Austin and Albany managed to amplify their voice by working together throughout the bargaining process. "By forming a unified bargaining voice, our members strengthened their ability to secure meaningful improvements for everyone in their roles,” added Swaggerty.
"Video game workers continue to set the pace for what organizing and collective bargaining can achieve in 2026 and beyond." The newly-ratified contract will cover over 60 employees in a range of QA roles.
The vote marks the third union contract that has been ratified at Microsoft after workers at both ZeniMax and Raven Software achieved the same feat last year.
The news comes just months after Microsoft made sweeping layoffs that impacted employees across its video game division.
