Activision Blizzard employees are walking out!
Activision Blizzard, the company behind popular games like Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, StarCraft, etc., has faced many controversies lately, and a looming walkout has been added to the list.
Activision Blizzard Employees Walkout
Activision Blizzard employees are staging a walkout on Monday, April 4, as the company lifted the vaccine mandate to its employees before resuming work in the office.
An email from the company's CEO was leaked talking to ABK about resuming office in June.
In response to an email from Activision Blizzard executive Brian Bulatao, news of the more relaxed COVID-19 plan began circulating on social media platforms.
The leaked email has surfaced online and Activision Blizzard did not mention anything about mandating a vaccine requirement to its employees.
Twitter user @_TechJess posted the image of the leaked email stating, "Brian Bulatao emailed all of ABK to talk returning to office in June. They will not be enforcing proof of vaccination. I'm sure the 'benefits' of in person collaboration is actually so employees organizing can be followed and monitored closely. Do not die for this company."
1. An immediate reversal to lifting the vaccine requirement
— ABetterABK 💙 ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) April 1, 2022
2. Remote work should be offered as a permanent solution
3. The decision to work remote or in office should be made by each individual employee
However, Activision Blizzard's CEO suddenly turned in opposition to the relaxed COVID measures. The executive imposed a vaccine reasoning that there is an increase in COVID cases in Europe and Asia.
A representative for ABK Workers Alliance stated to Polygon, "As part of returning to office, Blizzard and Activision Blizzard held several feedback sessions and polls over the course of three months, at the end of which they decided to mandate the vaccine for workers coming into office."
ABK noted in addition, "This was the agreement under which people agreed to come back. This recent change was not run by any employees before being announced."
Furthermore, The Verge reported that the decision has now been quickly reversed. However, ABK Workers Alliance is still continuing the scheduled walkout on Monday as the Blizzard workers demand the following:
- An immediate reversal to lifting the vaccine requirement
- Remote work should be offered as a permanent solution
- The decision to work remote or in office should be made by each individual employee
Those who wish to support or participate in the walkout can do so by following the two hashtags: #SickOfThis and #GameWorkersUnite.
Activision Blizzard Employee Walkout in 2021
Activision Blizzard employees have experienced numerous organized walk-outs before in 2021.
The first walkout in July 2021 was because of serious allegations of sexism and harassment at the World of Warcraft and Call of Duty publisher. After a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing against Blizzard Entertainment, the company responded in a manner that was both "abhorrent and insulting."
Another walkout was conducted by workers in November, this time calling for the resignation of CEO Bobby Kotick, following a Wall Street Journal report detailing Kotick's possible involvement in trying to minimize reports of employee misconduct.
As reported by Polygon, employees at Activision Blizzard walked out once more in December, standing against laying off numerous quality assurance (QA) employees. The walkout resulted in a strike that came to an end when the company employees later decided collectively that employees will unionize.
That group of workers, known as the Game Workers Alliance, is currently awaiting a decision from the National Labor Relations Board on the scope of the union's potential representation.
