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Activision Blizzard is getting sued again – for violating labour laws

Luca Fontana
15.9.2021
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

There’s no rest for Activision Blizzard: once again, a lawsuit has been filed against the gaming company. The accusation: breaking labour laws.

There’s no end to the headlines regarding sexual abuse lawsuits and the toxic working environment at Activision Blizzard: now the gaming giant has been summoned to court once more, as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced.

The accusation: intimidating and coercing its workforce. This, after employees wanted to openly discuss wage disparities and contractually enforced arbitration.

The lawsuit in greater detail

The suit was filed by the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees, also known as CODE-CWA. Among other things, their claim refers to «unfair labour practices». What’s more, the gaming giant allegedly tried to suppress, «organisation efforts in the wake of the discrimination and sexual assault scandal».

  • Background information

    The rise and fall: how Blizzard lost its magic

    by Philipp Rüegg

While former Blizzard President J. Allen Brack resigned immediately following the claim, the company’s current executives are said to have not yet contributed to lasting cultural changes. On the contrary.

Employees who wanted to speak openly about issues such as wage discrimination, work hours, abuse and harassment were apparently threatened and intimidated, according to the lawsuit filed by the state. This primarily affected A Better ABK, a group of Activision-Blizzard employees. Its members have been working for years to improve working conditions at the largest gaming companies in the United States.

Activision Blizzard hasn’t yet commented on the new allegations.

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Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.

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