Microsoft has agreed to include 77 temporary game testers in the newly created QA union at ZeniMax Studios. At the same time, 23 employees will become full-time, all will receive a salary increase and free copies of Starfield, which they polished, but which they would not have received without the merger.
The use of contractors is common in the video game industry, and they often receive lower pay, fewer benefits, and face less job security compared to the main employees they work alongside. By recognizing these workers as union members, ZeniMax and Microsoft management are setting a new standard for employees throughout the gaming industry.
Starfield’s 77 testers worked through agency TCWGlobal, according to Bloomberg. They are now part of the ZeniMax Workers United-CWA union, which is negotiating its first contract with the tech giant. The 23 full-time employees will receive a 22.2% pay increase, the rest by 15.3%, from $18 to $20.75 per hour. Also, some who previously did not have such benefits will now receive paid leave and sick leave. Finally, all 77 employees will receive a copy of the Starfield they worked on.
The fact that the game was not guaranteed without a union is indicative of the deplorable working conditions of the temporary testers.
Microsoft’s historic agreement with the Communications Workers Union of America has quickly made it one of the most favorable for organizing game developers. Time will tell if there will be a domino effect at other studios and publishers. For example, Sega of America was recently accused of pressuring some 200 merging employees with threats to move half of their jobs overseas.
