Call of Duty Developer Raven Software Has Signed First Union Contract

{"content":"\n<div class=\"js-seamless-content__page t-container\"><div class=\"article--one-column has-pad--vert--ultra\"><p class=\"color-50\"><span data-nosnippet>GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.<\/span><\/p><article itemscope class=\"content-body news-article js-seamless-content__page-content article article--news article--one-column content-body--bufferAd has-rhythm\" data-type-id=\"1100\" data-guid=\"1100-6533714\"><section class=\"news-hdr js-seamless-content__page-header has-rhythm--max\"><h1 class=\"news-title instapaper_title entry-title type-headline\">Call of Duty Developer Raven Software Has Signed First Union Contract<\/h1><p class=\"news-deck type-subheader\">After three years of work, the developer now has a union.<\/p><div class=\"news-meta has-rhythm--vert-top has-pad--top ellipseborder-top clearfix\"><p class=\"news-byline pull-left text-base no-rhythm\">By <span class=\"byline-author \"><a\n    class=\"byline-author__name\"\n    href=\"\/profile\/piratesyar\/\" \n    rel=\"author\"\n  >\n    Eric Frederiksen\n  <\/a><\/span> on <time datetime=\"2025-08-05T15:52:02-0800\" >August 5, 2025 at 3:52PM PDT<\/time><\/p><a href=\"#comments-block-33638363\" class=\"comments js-seamless-content__goto-comments pull-right\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-content-guid=\"1100-6533714\"><i><svg width=\"28\" height=\"28\" viewBox=\"0 0 28 28\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"symbol symbol-comments-alt\"><path d=\"M11 6q-2.391 0-4.469.812T3.226 9.015t-1.227 2.984q0 1.281.828 2.469t2.328 2.063l1.516.875-.547 1.313q.531-.313.969-.609l.688-.484.828.156q1.219.219 2.391.219 2.391 0 4.469-.812t3.305-2.203 1.227-2.984-1.227-2.984-3.305-2.203T11 6.003zm0-2q2.984 0 5.523 1.07t4.008 2.914T22 12t-1.469 4.016-4.008 2.914T11 20q-1.344 0-2.75-.25-1.937 1.375-4.344 2-.562.141-1.344.25h-.047q-.172 0-.32-.125t-.18-.328q-.016-.047-.016-.102t.008-.102.031-.094l.039-.078.055-.086.063-.078.07-.078.063-.07q.078-.094.359-.391t.406-.461.352-.453.391-.602.32-.688q-1.937-1.125-3.047-2.766T0 11.998q0-2.172 1.469-4.016t4.008-2.914T11 3.998zm12.844 18.266q.156.375.32.688t.391.602.352.453.406.461.359.391q.016.016.063.07t.07.078.063.078.055.086l.039.078.031.094.008.102-.016.102q-.047.219-.203.344t-.344.109q-.781-.109-1.344-.25-2.406-.625-4.344-2-1.406.25-2.75.25-4.234 0-7.375-2.063.906.063 1.375.063 2.516 0 4.828-.703t4.125-2.016q1.953-1.437 3-3.313T24 12.001q0-1.203-.359-2.375 2.016 1.109 3.187 2.781T28 16.001q0 1.875-1.109 3.508t-3.047 2.758z\"\/><\/svg><\/i>  Comments<\/a><\/div><\/section><aside class=\"seamless-content__aside vertical-spacing-bottom-rem\"><div class=\"js-mapped-ad mapped-ad mapped-mpu_top mapped-mpu_top-dart no-bg\" data-ad-type=\"mpu_top\"><div class=\"ad-wrap ad-wrap-mpu_top\"><\/div><\/div><br class=\"js-nlsub-stub nlsub-stub hide-element\" data-parent-selector=\".js-seamless-content__page-content\" data-show-content-min=\"4\"><\/aside><section class=\"article-body typography-format js-content-entity-body-container typography-format--large\"><div class=\"js-content-entity-body content-entity-body\"          data-content-element-selector=\"p, .js-buylink-item-container\" data-allowed-classes-selector=\"js-buylink-item-container\"\n\n  ><p>Call of Duty developer Raven Software has now secured a contract for its union after after three years of work. Workers at Raven \"unanimously voted to ratify their first union contract between Game Workers Alliance-CWA (GWA-CWA) members and Microsoft,\" according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/cwa-union.org\/news\/releases\/raven-software-workers-secure-first-contract-microsoft\" data-target=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">press release<\/a> from the Communication Workers of America (CWA).<\/p><p>The collective bargaining agreement secures a few conditions for the 19 quality assurance testers at Raven. This includes a 10% wage increase over two years, along with additional raises through merit and promotion. CWA says this follows 18 months without wage increases and 45 months without promotions.<\/p><p>The contract also addresses crunch time, with \"seven days' notice required for mandatory overtime, no excessive overtime on back-to-back weeks, flexible scheduling of overtime, and no mandatory overtime of any duration for the majority of weeks in a quarter.\"<\/p><p>Finally, the contract includes provisions for bridging of time worked as contract and temp employees, with defined job descriptions, a fair promotions process, expanded disability accommodations, and layoff protections.<\/p><p>This comes after \"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamespot.com\/articles\/raven-software-qa-testers-can-move-ahead-with-union-vote-following-nlrb-ruling\/1100-6502770\/\" data-ref-id=\"1100-6502770\">three years<\/a> of organizing and bargaining,\" according to QA tester Erin Hall. \"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\u2019s a contract that actually values the work QA does. I\u2019m proud of what we accomplished, and I hope it shows other game workers that organizing works\u2014and it\u2019s worth it.\"<\/p><p>Microsoft has laid off thousands of workers through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamespot.com\/gallery\/all-the-xbox-games-cancelled-and-studios-closed-in-microsofts-latest-mass-layoffs\/2900-6726\/\" data-ref-id=\"2900-6726\">multiple rounds of layoffs<\/a> in recent months, and one tactic of questionable legality in corporate playbooks to fight unions is to simply lay off the unionized workforce. For this contract to stick, Microsoft will have to respect the contract and the union. With that said, a secured union contract is a big step forward for game developers.<\/p><div class=\"js-mapped-ad mapped-ad mapped-mpu_middle mapped-mpu_middle-dart js-seamless-middle-mpu float-right no-inner-space\" data-ad-type=\"mpu_middle\"><div class=\"ad-wrap ad-wrap-mpu_middle\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"js-mapped-ad mapped-ad mapped-mpu_bottom mapped-mpu_bottom-dart js-seamless-bottom-mpu float-right no-inner-space\" data-ad-type=\"mpu_bottom\"><div class=\"ad-wrap ad-wrap-mpu_bottom\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"content-slug content-slug--article\"><p><i>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a class=\"text-bold\" href=\"mailto:news@gamespot.com?subject=Hi GameSpot! 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