Unionized quality assurance testers employed by video game holding company ZeniMax have reached a landmark tentative contract agreement with Microsoft, marking the tech giant’s first union deal in the United States. This milestone arrives just over two years after approximately 300 QA workers announced plans to unionize under the Communications Workers of America and began negotiations.
According to the agreed-upon terms, the new contract includes a significant pay raise of 13.5%, set to take effect on July 1. It also codifies a previously reached understanding regarding the integration and limitations around the use of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace. Union members will vote on ratification of the proposed contract on June 20.
Calling the agreement “a monumental victory,” Page Branson, a QA tester and union bargaining committee member, emphasized that the deal signals progress not just for active video game workers but for future employees entering the industry.
While ZeniMax’s QA staff made history as the first group within Microsoft to unionize, their actions have inspired additional organizing efforts across the company. Currently, the Communications Workers of America reports representing more than 2,000 workers across Microsoft’s video game divisions.
