Summary
After two years of drawn-out negotiations, the quality assurance (QA) workers atZeniMax Mediahave reached a tentative union contract agreement with Microsoft. Announced by the Communication Workers of America (CWA), theZeniMaxunion deal is a significant advancement for labor relations within the games industry, although it still awaits ratification.
Formed in early 2023, theZeniMax Workers United-CWA union represents more than 300 QA workersand was immediately recognized by Microsoft. This acknowledgment came alongside Microsoft’s public commitment to neutrality in union matters - officially formalized in 2024. Despite the early recognition, negotiations between Microsoft and the ZeniMax union stalled for nearly two years, inciting frustration among members. The penny dropped in April 2025, when union members voted to authorize a strike amid concerns over labor practices, a lack of remote work options, and the replacement of in-house staff with contract labor.
Now,ZeniMax workers and Microsoft have finally agreed upon a tentative contractthat addresses many of those concerns. As perthe CWA, the terms of the deal include substantial across-the-board wage increases, new minimum salaries for QA workers, protections against arbitrary dismissal, and formal grievance procedures. One standout feature is a revised crediting policy, which ensures QA workers are properly acknowledged for their contributions to the games they help develop. Additionally, the contract includes specific language around theuse of AI toolsin the workplace - an increasingly important concern these days - giving workers a voice in how and when AI is implemented.
ZeniMax QA Union and Microsoft Deal to Improve Work Conditions and Set Parameters Around AI Use
The CWA has remarked that the ZeniMax-Microsoft contract marks a big win for organized labor in the games industry. Bargaining committee member andZeniMax QA testerJessee Leese highlighted the deal’s symbolic impact and said that it’s “an invitation” for industry professionals to “take action.” CWA President Claude Cummings echoed Leese’s sentiment, calling the contract a demonstration of the power of collective action: “Whether it’s having a say about the use of AI in the workplace, fighting for significant wage increases and fair crediting policies, or protecting workers from retaliation, our members have raised the bar.”
As it stands, the ZeniMax-Microsoft contract could be ratified by June 20, and this agreement notably comes at a time when unionization efforts are ramping up across the games industry, especially in the US. Within Microsoft alone, other worker unions at Raven Software, Activision QA, ZeniMax Online Studios, and most recently theOverwatchdev team remain in active negotiations with the tech conglomerate. Meanwhile, industry-wide momentum continues to grow with thelaunch of the United Videogame Workers-CWA(UVW-CWA) - a direct-join union for both employed and freelance developers - in March 2025.
