Call of Duty developer Raven Software has successfully concluded a significant chapter, securing its first union contract after three years of dedicated effort. A press release from the Communication Workers of America (CWA) confirms that employees at Raven unanimously voted to ratify their inaugural collective bargaining agreement, forged between members of the Game Workers Alliance-CWA (GWA-CWA) and Microsoft.
This landmark collective agreement establishes several crucial terms for the 19 quality assurance (QA) testers employed at Raven. Key provisions include a 10% wage increase phased over two years, supplemented by additional raises contingent on merit and career promotions. The CWA specifically highlighted that this achievement comes after a prolonged period: 18 months without any general pay increases and 45 months without opportunities for career advancement.
The contract also directly addresses the contentious issue of “crunch time,” a prevalent concern in the game development industry. It mandates a seven-day advance notice for any compulsory overtime work. Furthermore, it explicitly prohibits excessive back-to-back overtime, ensures flexible scheduling options for additional hours, and importantly, prevents mandatory overtime of any duration for the majority of weeks within a given quarter.
Beyond compensation and overtime, the agreement incorporates provisions for recognizing time previously worked as contract and temporary employees, ensuring their prior contributions are acknowledged. It also outlines clear and defined job descriptions, establishes a fair and transparent promotion process, expands accommodations for employees with disabilities, and provides crucial protections against potential layoffs.
QA tester Erin Hall underscored the monumental effort behind this achievement, describing it as the culmination of “three years of organizing and bargaining.” She further elaborated: “From day one, we made it a priority to include every voice in the room, and the contract we came out with reflects what we need—better pay, real career paths, and protection from burnout. It’s a contract that actually values the work QA does. I’m proud of what we accomplished, and I hope it shows other game workers that organizing works—and it’s worth it.”
This positive development unfolds against a backdrop of significant workforce reductions at Microsoft, which has seen thousands of employees laid off in recent months. While a common corporate tactic to undermine unions can involve laying off unionized staff, the successful ratification of this contract signifies a major step forward for game developers` rights and underscores the expectation that Microsoft will respect both the agreement and the union moving forward.