Another trade union of American workers, theAFL-CIOYes is sided in favor of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoftthus consolidating the positive view of the operation at least on the part of the company’s employees, even if this may not be decisive for the successful outcome of the negotiation.
“It is disappointing that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal that could create a stronger company and protect consumers while also empowering workers,” it said. reads in the AFL-CIO communiqué, that criticizes the work of the FTC and his new lawsuit against Microsoft. “With any acquisition there are many factors to consider, but the needs of the workers must always be kept in mind.
When workers are able to come together and stand up for their rights, this creates a culture that checks and balances a company’s balance, which ultimately benefits consumers and the general public.
Activision Blizzard, various characters from the company’s intellectual properties
Microsoft’s proposed acquisition would give Activision Blizzard workers the freedom to join a union through theneutrality agreementgiving them the power to build a stronger company that can control unethical practices, a win for both workers and consumers.”
After having already seen the CWA (Communications Workers of America) openly siding on Microsoft’s side with a press release declaring support for the acquisition, the AFL-CIO (The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) also joins the same position, above all thanks to the “Labor neutrality” pact that Microsoft has already stipulated with the social partners in view of the acquisition. This is an agreement which essentially provides for the official recognition of employees to choose to be represented by a trade union or to be able to form an association of workers to defend their rights.
The question is by no means obvious, at least in the current labor system in the USA and especially as regards the large companies in the videogame sector, where the phenomenon of “unionization” has not yet settled and is spreading in recent years.
Last June, Microsoft reached the neutrality agreement with the workers of Activision Blizzard, which basically establishes in five points the possibility of joining a union or forming one and using this system for negotiations with Microsoft.
That deal is already in use within Microsoft and also at some of Xbox Game Studios’ development teams, and would extend to Activision Blizzard within 60 days of the acquisition closing. The support of the unions in favor of the takeover is a strong signal as far as at least the voice of the workers is concerned, although the antitrust bodies are evaluating other issues related to this operation as critical, as demonstrated by the FTC lawsuit in the USA and the problems raised by the British CMA.
