Activist group ABetterABK has announced a walk-out, scheduled for July 21st 2022, aimed at forcing the company to improve employee conditions and honor promises made in negotiations that have taken place to this point. The action is the latest in a long line of moves designed to put pressure on Activision-Blizzard-King, and force them to take accountability for the workplace issues at the company.
The move is largely driven by the recent decision taken in the US to overturn legislation around women’s reproductive rights, and Activision employees wanting their company to offer better protection and healthcare benefits. They are critical too of the actions ABK have taken over the last year to attempt to stop reform in the company.
Other demands include the right to work from home, as well as relocation options for employees living in "locations passing discriminatory legislation", on top of which the company should compensate said employees for moving. The long-standing demand that employees should be involved in auditing policy at the company also remains, alongside other points like calls for dialogue with advocacy groups.
The Twitter thread posted also criticises ABK for union busting behavior, and demands the company begins dialogue with the Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination, as well as committing to neutrality when it comes to workers attempts to organise. They also shared a fund people can donate to if they wish to support the action, and improve conditions for workers at Activision Blizzard.
Microsoft, who have already committed to a $70b takeover of ABK, have publicly confirmed this will be policy when the deal is completed, but until then policy is set by the existing Activision leadership, including embattled CEO Bobby Kotick. That group has made no attempt to engage with the idea of unionization, and at times has also made hires that seem designed to stymie employee attempts to create a collective bargaining group.
