The Activision Blizzard King Workers Alliance (ABetterABK) has put out a statement regarding the Microsoft acquisition, and their stance hasn’t changed.
A shockwave rippled through the gaming industry yesterday as Microsoft announced they had acquired Activision Blizzard. For many Activision Blizzard workers, this news has come as a bit of a surprise.
ABetterABK released a statement yesterday reacting to the news: “The news of Activision’s acquisition by Microsoft is surprising, but does not change the goals of the ABK Worker’s Alliance,” the opening of the statement reads.
“We remain committed to fighting for workplace improvements and the rights of our employees regardless of who is financially in control of the company.” The statement also says how they plan to continue working with allies across the industry. And it also notes that they have previously called for the removal of Bobby Kotick as CEO. But as of writing, Kotick remains in his role.
The statement also references the ongoing strikes at Raven Software, in support of the QA members who were fired. Striking staff have “still not received response from leadership regarding” ABetterABK’s request to negotiate. The group also notes that three out of four of their original demands to “improve the conditions of women” in their workforce haven’t been met.
what’s next for abetterabk?
How Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard will directly affect ABetterABK is unclear at the moment. The workers alliance started the process of unionising late last year. But this landmark deal could change things for the workers. Clearly though, they are determined to fight for themselves no matter what curveballs are thrown their way.
ABetterABK formed last year in the months following the lawsuit filed by the state of California against Activision Blizzard. The lawsuit alleged various counts of sexual misconduct, as well as unequal pay. Late last year, multiple members of the QA team at Raven Software were let go after moving for the job. A strike has been held for weeks in support of the staff that were fired.
Featured Image Credit: Activision Blizzard