Activision quality assurance (QA) professionals approved, on October 15, a strike authorization after more than two years of negotiations without being able to finalize their first collective bargaining agreement. The union accuses the company, which belongs to Microsoft, of deliberately delaying discussions and not negotiating in good faith.
The vote took place on the eve of the worldwide launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, scheduled for October 23, and gives Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the authority to call a work stoppage if negotiations remain stalled. No strike has begun, nor has a date been announced.
The Activision Quality Assurance United (AQAU-CWA) represents employees responsible for testing games, identifying flaws and checking their quality before launch. The demands include pay raises, protections against the use of artificial intelligence, rules for hiring third-party workers and guarantees of workplace accommodations under U.S. law for people with disabilities.
Emily Danko, a member of the bargaining committee and a QA tester, said the company continues to postpone decisions on wages and labor rights. According to her, despite the union's efforts, fundamental issues remain unresolved.
The group was formed in March 2024, initially with nearly 600 workers, and began negotiations in August of that year. According to Kotaku, the number of members fell to just over 400 after staff cuts. Currently, the CWA represents approximately 2,500 Activision Blizzard employees, spread across different unionized units.
Activision denies accusations and proposes new meetings before launch
In response to the accusations, Activision said it is negotiating in good faith and has already achieved significant advances on several points of the contract. The company offered October 21 and 22 as dates to resume the talks, immediately before the worldwide launch of Modern Warfare 4.
In a statement to Kotaku, the company also acknowledged employees' right to participate in union actions, including strikes, and said it has plans to avoid disruptions for players and upcoming releases.
The union, however, questions the company's stance since the termination, in 2025, of the union neutrality agreement signed between Microsoft and the CWA. The arrangement had facilitated worker organizing during the Activision Blizzard acquisition process.
The possible work stoppage coincides with an important period for the Call of Duty franchise. Modern Warfare 4 began its early access on October 16, while the full launch is set for the 23rd. QA employees also participate in identifying problems and validating fixes after launch.
For now, the authorization increases union pressure but does not represent an interruption of operations. The meetings proposed for the 21st and 22nd will be the next opportunity announced by the company to advance negotiations before the global launch.
