The company Microsoftone of the largest technology companies in the world, approved for the first time in its history the creation of a union within it, specifically within the company zenimaxof which she owns.
The fledgling union, currently only active in the United States, is called Zenimax Workers United, and will represent the 300 QA (quality control) employees of Zenimax, Microsoft’s virtual games division; its employees have decided by a large majority to create that first union cell in a process that has lasted a month.
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The agreement was announced this Tuesday by the union of the Communication Workers of America (CWA), to which this Zenimax cell is affiliated, creator of games like DOOM, elder scrolls either fallout.
In a statement to the economic portal CNBC, a Microsoft representative assured that they recognize the CWA as their interlocutor “in light of the results of their recent unionization vote”and added that now it is time to “enter into negotiations in good faith as we move towards a collective agreement.”
For his part, the president of CWA, Chris Shelton, stressed that, unlike “other video game giants that have resorted to attacking, sabotaging and demoralizing their employees who wanted to unionize, Microsoft has chosen another path, which it will reinforce its business culture (…) and could serve as a model for the industry”.
Unions in technology companies
The formation of the first Microsoft union in its 47-year history can be considered a milestonebut it adds to other previous union achievements in some of the big technology companies traditionally reluctant to the collective organization of their workers, as is the case of Amazon or Apple.
In general, workers at tech companies are paid better than the US average, and companies try to discourage them from union efforts with high incentives, often promoting the message that internal promotion outside of a union is easier. .
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EFE International news agency based in Madrid and present in more than 110 countries.