CEO of Microsoft Gaming Will Recognize Raven Software's Union, The First AAA Video Game Union, After Acquisition Closes

For a little background, Raven Software’s QA workers attempt to unionize first started when they received the go-ahead by the National Labor Relations Board. Afterwards, the workers had to vote and send in a ballot if they wanted to go through with the union–and they did. Out of the 28 employees that were eligible to vote, 24 submitted, and 2 of which were considered invalid. Still, despite the two lost votes, it wouldn't have mattered with the end vote being 19 in favor, and 3 against the union. This makes Raven Software’s QA workers the first AAA video game union in North America.

Now, the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, responded about the Raven Software union with: “Once the deal closes, we would absolutely support [an] employees’ organization that’s in place,” he began. “We think it is a right of employees and something that can be a part of a relationship between a company and people who work at the company.”

Spencer also stressed that Microsoft currently has no relationship with the Communication Workers of America nor the union, Game Workers Alliance. Currently, the company’s $69 billion deal to acquire publisher Activision Blizzard is being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission and, at this point, anything could happen. However, if the deal does close, Spencer said that “We will absolutely recognize [the union].”

Activision Blizzard–which Raven Software is part of–is still operating independently while the Xbox deal undergoes investigations. If interested readers would like to read the full interview, they can do so on Kotaku's site.