Black Ops 6 QA staff strike over Activision return to the office policy, which has “unquestionably harmed disabled employees”
A number of Call Of Duty: Ops 6 quality assurance staff from Eden Prarie, Minnesota have walked out in protest over Activision’s ending of hybrid or remote working, which was announced in December last year. They’re being supported by the Communication Workers Of America union, who claim that Activision are forcing the return to the office on staff “with serious medical conditions and doctor’s recommendations to work from home”.
As reported by Eurogamer, Activision workers group ABetterABK have also issued a statement criticising the “unequal” ROI policy, which has been in effect for nine months. The ABK union say the move has “unquestionably harmed disabled employees and employees in need of work from home accommodations”, who have been refused exemption from the policy.
There’s also a reference to staff being “disrespected” by a recent company email discussing the USA’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which falls in October. The email in question apparently “depicted a disabled person working from home while our coworkers in need are not allowed this essential tool for equal accessibility,” according to the ABK statement. As such, it argues that Activision have “been championing [diversity, equity & inclusion] while they continually fail us.”
The walkout is small, with about 30 people shown holding CWA signs in photographs, but it’s caught the attention of local media like Fox9.
Eurogamer also have a statement from Activision, in which an Acti spokesperson comments that negotiations around individual employee needs are “ongoing”, despite the many months since the policy was introduced.
“We respect our employees’ rights to express their point of view,” it reads. “We understand that returning to the office has been an adjustment for some. We engage in an interactive process with employees who request accommodations. This is an ongoing conversation at the bargaining table, and we will continue to discuss our respective interests in that forum.”
The Activision QA walkout is one of many clashes between developers and management over the end of hybrid and fully remote-working since the lifting of pandemic lockdown measures. Earlier this month, 700 Ubisoft staff went on strike in protest at a three-day return to the office mandate which the French Video Game Workers Union (STJV) insists was arrived at “without any tangible justification or any consultation with the workers’ representatives”.