Activision Blizzard to convert 1,000 QA workers to full-time positions

Activision Blizzard to convert 1,000 QA workers to full-time positions

Illustration: James Bareham/Polygon
Activision Blizzard will convert all of its U.S.-based temporary and quality assurance (QA) contingents to full-time jobs, the company announced Thursday. Nearly 1,100 workers will become full-time Activision Blizzard employees, raising their wages to at least $20 an hour and giving QA workers access to bonuses and comprehensive benefits.
Activision Publishing COO and Blizzard Entertainment Director Mike Ybarra shared the news with staff on Thursday.
“In Activision Blizzard, we are bringing more content to players across our franchises than ever before,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Polygon. “As a result, we are refining how our teams work together to develop our games and deliver the best possible experiences for our players. We have ambitious plans for the future and members of our Quality Assurance (QA) team are a vital part of our development efforts.
Converting all US-based QA staff to full-time positions increases Activision Publishing’s total full-time headcount by 25%. An Activision Blizzard spokesperson said Activision Publishing and Blizzard Entertainment will continue to use “outside partner assistance” for QA workers when “workload increases and exceeds the bandwidth of the ‘team”.
Activision Blizzard provided the two emails to Polygon staff:
Email to AP US Employees from Josh Taub, COO, Activision Publishing

By: Josh Taub
Subject line: Quality control update
Team,
Over the past two years, Call of Duty has grown and evolved. Our development cycles have moved from an annual release to an “always on” model. In response to greater engagement, we have increased our live services business across all platforms. Our offerings now encompass Season Passes, Operators and the awesome content available in our stores. We’ve also increased our headcount and support in our studios, as well as exciting new plans on mobile.
In light of these changes, and as we contemplate our ambitious plans for the future, we are further refining the way our development teams work together. QA is, and continues to be, critical to the success of our development. We have amazing QA teams in place who work hard to ensure our players have the best gaming experiences possible – thank you!
I am pleased to announce that we are converting all US-based temporary and contingent workers to full-time employees (FTEs). We are increasing their hourly rate to a minimum of $20/hr and giving them access to all company benefits, and they will be eligible to participate in the company bonus program.
This change follows the conversion of nearly 500 temporary and casual workers to permanent full-time employees at Activision Publishing studios, and other ongoing conversions that have taken place over the past few months.
Like Call of Duty evolves, we anticipate times when the workload will fluctuate and exceed the bandwidth of our extended team. With this in mind, we are adding additional support to our team from external partners. This is a long-standing studio and industry practice that will give us more flexibility and capability to meet business needs and allow our internal teams to focus on the results that matter most. more impact on our business.
Together we will change the game and take Call of Duty to the next level.
-Josh

Email to Blizzard Employees from Mike Ybarra, Director of Blizzard

From: Mike Ybarra
Purpose: Delivering Blizzard Quality: Full-Time Conversion QA
Hi Blizzard,
We’ve shared with many of you the exciting experiences we’re bringing to players in 2022 and beyond. There’s so much going on in our teams – and this is just the start of our renewed focus on putting our teams and players at the forefront of everything we do.
Our ability to deliver exceptional games at the level of “Blizzard quality” that our players have come to expect is key to ensuring that we exceed player expectations. Over the past 6 months I have had the opportunity to listen and engage with members of our QA team and we have had several meetings where I have outlined my philosophy on contract roles/ full time. I want to thank everyone who helped educate me and expressed their views on how we can make Blizzard the best gamer-focused game studio. We all know that quality assurance is integral to our success to ensure the best gaming experiences possible.
Some time ago, QA management began changing its approach to team staffing, converting more temporary and contract workers (TEAs) into full-time employees (FTEs) and using partners to support short-term workload spikes. Today, this change in approach results in the conversion of all remaining US-based QA AMEs/contractors – over 90 people in Irvine, Austin and Albany – into FTEs. We are also increasing the minimum hourly rate for QA to $20/hour, and they will be eligible for our bonus program and increased benefits.
We have an incredible quality assurance talent, and I’m very happy to make this change so that we can focus and deliver to players around the world. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, your HR partner or Wladia Summers.
Thank you for your feedback and for helping us make this change.
Thanks,
Mike

The 1,100 new full-time positions are in addition to the 500 new full-time employees converted last year. At the time, however, 20 temporary workers at Activision Blizzard studios were told their contracts weren’t included – 12 of whom worked on Call of Duty: Warzone at Raven Software. This sparked a strike that eventually led to Raven Software’s QA union lobbying with the Communication Workers of America. The group, called Game Workers Alliance, had the support of 78% of eligible workers, but Activision Blizzard refused to recognize the union. This group is now awaiting a decision from the National Labor Relations Board before proceeding to a formal union vote. During this hearing, union leaders accused the company of “anti-unionism”.
It’s unclear at this time how Activision Blizzard’s QA expansion will impact Raven Software’s organizing effort.
Quality assurance has historically been mistakenly viewed as an unskilled department in the video game industry. In August, QA workers at Activision Blizzard told Polygon that QA contract cycles created a system that made it difficult for workers to advance or feel stable in their careers, in addition low wages and the intense crisis. Raising minimum wages at all levels to $20 an hour, along with largely eliminating the contract structure, is a victory for workers who fought for change at the company .
Update (3:12 p.m. EDT): After publication, Bloomberg reported that Raven Software QA workers would not receive the same raises. Activision Blizzard confirmed this in a statement emailed to Polygon: “Due to our legal obligations under state labor relations law, we are unable to implement new compensation initiatives at Raven. at the moment, because it would be new types of compensation changes.”
The Activision Blizzard spokesperson also stated that the QA conversion “is unrelated to the ongoing petition at the Raven studio. Raven’s situation is limited to Raven.
Update (3:44 p.m. EDT): Communications Workers of America Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens issued the following statement to the press regarding the AQ conversion:

Don’t get me wrong, all credit for Activision Blizzard’s latest decision to give all temporary and contingent QA team members full-time jobs and a raise should go to workers who organized, mobilized and expressed themselves.
It’s particularly infuriating that Activision has excluded Raven Software’s QA workers, who have been at the forefront of this effort, of these benefits. The company’s claim that national labor relations law prevents them from including Raven workers is clearly an effort to divide workers and undermine their efforts to form a union (Game Workers Alliance – CWA). Activision’s dishonest announcement is further proof of the need for workers to have a protected voice at work. We urge Activision Blizzard to rectify this situation and respect the protected right of Raven QA workers to organize under the law.

Update (April 8, 11:40 a.m. EDT): An Activision Blizzard spokesperson sent a statement to Polygon in which the company rebuts the CWA’s statement that Activision Blizzard’s decision not to increase Raven QA’s salary is “an effort to undermine their efforts to form a union.

The union’s assertion is both erroneous and misleading. It is well known that during an election petition period, the law prevents an employer from granting new types of benefits to employees who go to vote. See National Labor Relations Board v. Exchange Parts Co., 375 US 405 (1964), and associated cases, for a discussion of these rules. The CWA accuses us of trying to obey the law by pretending that the law does not exist.

#Activision #Blizzard #convert #workers #fulltime #positions

Activision Blizzard to convert 1,000 QA workers to full-time positions

Illustration: James Bareham/Polygon
Activision Blizzard will convert all of its U.S.-based temporary and quality assurance (QA) contingents to full-time jobs, the company announced Thursday. Nearly 1,100 workers will become full-time Activision Blizzard employees, raising their wages to at least $20 an hour and giving QA workers access to bonuses and comprehensive benefits.
Activision Publishing COO and Blizzard Entertainment Director Mike Ybarra shared the news with staff on Thursday.
“In Activision Blizzard, we are bringing more content to players across our franchises than ever before,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Polygon. “As a result, we are refining how our teams work together to develop our games and deliver the best possible experiences for our players. We have ambitious plans for the future and members of our Quality Assurance (QA) team are a vital part of our development efforts.
Converting all US-based QA staff to full-time positions increases Activision Publishing’s total full-time headcount by 25%. An Activision Blizzard spokesperson said Activision Publishing and Blizzard Entertainment will continue to use “outside partner assistance” for QA workers when “workload increases and exceeds the bandwidth of the ‘team”.
Activision Blizzard provided the two emails to Polygon staff:
Email to AP US Employees from Josh Taub, COO, Activision Publishing

By: Josh Taub
Subject line: Quality control update
Team,
Over the past two years, Call of Duty has grown and evolved. Our development cycles have moved from an annual release to an “always on” model. In response to greater engagement, we have increased our live services business across all platforms. Our offerings now encompass Season Passes, Operators and the awesome content available in our stores. We’ve also increased our headcount and support in our studios, as well as exciting new plans on mobile.
In light of these changes, and as we contemplate our ambitious plans for the future, we are further refining the way our development teams work together. QA is, and continues to be, critical to the success of our development. We have amazing QA teams in place who work hard to ensure our players have the best gaming experiences possible – thank you!
I am pleased to announce that we are converting all US-based temporary and contingent workers to full-time employees (FTEs). We are increasing their hourly rate to a minimum of $20/hr and giving them access to all company benefits, and they will be eligible to participate in the company bonus program.
This change follows the conversion of nearly 500 temporary and casual workers to permanent full-time employees at Activision Publishing studios, and other ongoing conversions that have taken place over the past few months.
Like Call of Duty evolves, we anticipate times when the workload will fluctuate and exceed the bandwidth of our extended team. With this in mind, we are adding additional support to our team from external partners. This is a long-standing studio and industry practice that will give us more flexibility and capability to meet business needs and allow our internal teams to focus on the results that matter most. more impact on our business.
Together we will change the game and take Call of Duty to the next level.
-Josh

Email to Blizzard Employees from Mike Ybarra, Director of Blizzard

From: Mike Ybarra
Purpose: Delivering Blizzard Quality: Full-Time Conversion QA
Hi Blizzard,
We’ve shared with many of you the exciting experiences we’re bringing to players in 2022 and beyond. There’s so much going on in our teams – and this is just the start of our renewed focus on putting our teams and players at the forefront of everything we do.
Our ability to deliver exceptional games at the level of “Blizzard quality” that our players have come to expect is key to ensuring that we exceed player expectations. Over the past 6 months I have had the opportunity to listen and engage with members of our QA team and we have had several meetings where I have outlined my philosophy on contract roles/ full time. I want to thank everyone who helped educate me and expressed their views on how we can make Blizzard the best gamer-focused game studio. We all know that quality assurance is integral to our success to ensure the best gaming experiences possible.
Some time ago, QA management began changing its approach to team staffing, converting more temporary and contract workers (TEAs) into full-time employees (FTEs) and using partners to support short-term workload spikes. Today, this change in approach results in the conversion of all remaining US-based QA AMEs/contractors – over 90 people in Irvine, Austin and Albany – into FTEs. We are also increasing the minimum hourly rate for QA to $20/hour, and they will be eligible for our bonus program and increased benefits.
We have an incredible quality assurance talent, and I’m very happy to make this change so that we can focus and deliver to players around the world. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, your HR partner or Wladia Summers.
Thank you for your feedback and for helping us make this change.
Thanks,
Mike

The 1,100 new full-time positions are in addition to the 500 new full-time employees converted last year. At the time, however, 20 temporary workers at Activision Blizzard studios were told their contracts weren’t included – 12 of whom worked on Call of Duty: Warzone at Raven Software. This sparked a strike that eventually led to Raven Software’s QA union lobbying with the Communication Workers of America. The group, called Game Workers Alliance, had the support of 78% of eligible workers, but Activision Blizzard refused to recognize the union. This group is now awaiting a decision from the National Labor Relations Board before proceeding to a formal union vote. During this hearing, union leaders accused the company of “anti-unionism”.
It’s unclear at this time how Activision Blizzard’s QA expansion will impact Raven Software’s organizing effort.
Quality assurance has historically been mistakenly viewed as an unskilled department in the video game industry. In August, QA workers at Activision Blizzard told Polygon that QA contract cycles created a system that made it difficult for workers to advance or feel stable in their careers, in addition low wages and the intense crisis. Raising minimum wages at all levels to $20 an hour, along with largely eliminating the contract structure, is a victory for workers who fought for change at the company .
Update (3:12 p.m. EDT): After publication, Bloomberg reported that Raven Software QA workers would not receive the same raises. Activision Blizzard confirmed this in a statement emailed to Polygon: “Due to our legal obligations under state labor relations law, we are unable to implement new compensation initiatives at Raven. at the moment, because it would be new types of compensation changes.”
The Activision Blizzard spokesperson also stated that the QA conversion “is unrelated to the ongoing petition at the Raven studio. Raven’s situation is limited to Raven.
Update (3:44 p.m. EDT): Communications Workers of America Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens issued the following statement to the press regarding the AQ conversion:

Don’t get me wrong, all credit for Activision Blizzard’s latest decision to give all temporary and contingent QA team members full-time jobs and a raise should go to workers who organized, mobilized and expressed themselves.
It’s particularly infuriating that Activision has excluded Raven Software’s QA workers, who have been at the forefront of this effort, of these benefits. The company’s claim that national labor relations law prevents them from including Raven workers is clearly an effort to divide workers and undermine their efforts to form a union (Game Workers Alliance – CWA). Activision’s dishonest announcement is further proof of the need for workers to have a protected voice at work. We urge Activision Blizzard to rectify this situation and respect the protected right of Raven QA workers to organize under the law.

Update (April 8, 11:40 a.m. EDT): An Activision Blizzard spokesperson sent a statement to Polygon in which the company rebuts the CWA’s statement that Activision Blizzard’s decision not to increase Raven QA’s salary is “an effort to undermine their efforts to form a union.

The union’s assertion is both erroneous and misleading. It is well known that during an election petition period, the law prevents an employer from granting new types of benefits to employees who go to vote. See National Labor Relations Board v. Exchange Parts Co., 375 US 405 (1964), and associated cases, for a discussion of these rules. The CWA accuses us of trying to obey the law by pretending that the law does not exist.

#Activision #Blizzard #convert #workers #fulltime #positions