Microsoft And Video Game Workers Union Reach Tentative Agreement On Labor Contract
3 minute readPublished: Friday, May 30, 2025 at 6:47 pm
**Microsoft and ZeniMax QA Testers Reach Tentative Labor Agreement**
In a significant win for video game workers, Microsoft and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have reached a tentative agreement on a labor contract for quality assurance (QA) testers at ZeniMax, a subsidiary of Microsoft. This agreement, if ratified, would mark a landmark moment as one of the first union contracts at a major AAA game publisher.
The announcement comes after the union, representing approximately 300 ZeniMax employees, voted to authorize a strike last month due to challenges in contract negotiations. The new agreement addresses key concerns, including significant pay raises, enhanced protections for employees, and guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence. It also aims to prevent arbitrary dismissals and ensures QA testers receive proper credit for their contributions to video games.
This agreement is a culmination of years of effort by ZeniMax QA testers, who formed ZeniMax Workers United-CWA in early 2023. The unionization drive was facilitated by Microsoft's neutrality agreement regarding union activism. The success at ZeniMax is part of a broader trend of unionization within Microsoft, with over 2,000 employees now unionized, including the Overwatch 2 team at Blizzard.
The contract still faces hurdles. The CWA will hold informational sessions for its members to explain the agreement's details, followed by a ratification vote expected in late June.
BNN's Perspective: This agreement is a positive development for the video game industry, signaling a shift towards recognizing and valuing the contributions of all workers. While the specifics of the contract are yet to be fully revealed, the focus on fair pay, AI guidelines, and employee protections is encouraging. It will be interesting to see how this agreement impacts other game developers and the broader labor landscape within the industry.
Keywords: Microsoft, ZeniMax, CWA, labor contract, union, QA testers, video games, AAA games, pay raise, AI, employee protections, unionization, strike, ZeniMax Workers United-CWA, Blizzard, Overwatch 2, ratification vote, game developers, gaming industry.