Microsoft affiliate ZeniMax workers want to form a union

ZeniMax Online Studios, former Bethesda parent company and now a subsidiary of Microsoft, is in the process of

trade union organizations. The workers are organizing in collaboration with CODE-CWA, which has already helped form two Activision Blizzard unions.

In a statement on Twitter they announced:“Today we, the majority of QA workers at ZeniMax, are proud to announce the start of our union with [CODE-CWA]. We are the first group of Microsoft workers to officially unionize. We have the right to defend our interests and build a future where we can prosper together with the company”.

Today we, the majority of QA workers at ZeniMax,proud to announce the launch of our union with @CWAunion. We – the first group of Microsoft workers to officially join a union. We have the right to defend our interests and build a future in which we can prosper together with the company

– ZeniMax Workers United – CWA (@ZeniMaxWorkers) December 5, 2022

This happened just a few days afterQA union announcement by Blizzard studio workers in Albany. However, it seems that Microsoft will not prevent the creation of a union. At the time of its purchase of Activision Blizzard, the company announced that it would engage in “direct dialogue” with workers' organizations and that she did not believe that resistance to the creation of such organizations would be beneficial.

If the vote passes, ZeniMax Workers United will become the largest video game union in the United States and Microsoft's first.