Staff across multiple Bethesda offices have formed a “wall-to-wall” union linked with the Communications Workers of America today. The landmark unionization is the first for a studio owned by Microsoft and covers multiple positions, from developers to artists.
241 staff in total signed a union authorization card or indicated they wanted representation according to a July 19 CWA press release, with the group One BGS USA officially formed and recognized by Microsoft. “Together as One BGS USA, we advocate for the betterment of every developer at BGS, setting the new standard for our industry,” the union said on X (formerly Twitter) today.
It’s not strictly the first time Microsoft has recognized members of the gaming industry in a union, with the tech giant previously recognizing QA workers at Activision and ZeniMax Studios. However, the Bethesda union is the first to cover multiple types of employees and titles, and will now negotiate the terms of a new contract with Microsoft in the coming months.
The new union covers 241 employees in Bethesda’s American offices in Austin, Dallas, and Rockville. The studio’s Canadian arm in Montreal filed its own push for unionization with CWA Canada in June—a further 117 staff also spread across multiple facets of the industry will be protected once the Quebec Labour Relations Board signs off following a card check.
“Through securing a protected voice on the job, workers are taking a step forward to negotiating better working conditions, helping to raise standards across the industry,” CWA Local 2108 president Johnny Brown said, while Bethesda senior system designer Mandi Parker added that the staff’s “unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives, and the company as a whole.”
More details surrounding a new bargaining agreement with Microsoft are set to be shared by the new Bethesda union in the coming months with a focus on giving its members a voice in ensuring there is a “safe, sustainable, and equitable work environment for all.”
