The union at ZeniMax has voted "overwhelmingly" to authorize a strike if contract negotiations with Microsoft fail

The members of ZeniMax Workers United have decisively chosen to permit a strike against Microsoft.

An impressive 94% of the union's members agreed to take this action if discussions on their contract falter.

This group, formed in 2023, is linked to the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and includes more than 300 quality assurance professionals located in Maryland and Texas. They have been in discussions with Microsoft for almost two years to finalize their inaugural contract.

The issues under negotiation include demands for better pay, enhancements to workplace conditions, the absence of remote work options, and concerns over the outsourcing of quality assurance roles without notifying the union.

Union member Zachary Armstrong, who is a senior QA tester, expressed frustrations, stating, "Underpayment and costly RTO initiatives have caused many of us to put our lives on pause because our income does not match even the rising cost of living in cities where ZeniMax insists we live and work to maintain employment."

Armstrong continued, "None of us wishes it had come to this, but Microsoft and ZeniMax continue to demonstrate at the bargaining table that they're unwilling to pay us fair wages for the value our labour provides to our games, we'll be showing them just how valuable our labour is."

Aubrey Litchfield, an associate QA tester, remarked, "Despite being one of the world's largest corporations, we've had to continuously fight for what should be the bare minimum." Litchfield criticized the company for not offering a livable wage, saying, "Paying your employees a liveable wage as a multi-trillion dollar company is the least they could be doing; however when addressed at the bargaining table, Microsoft acts as though we're asking for too much."

Litchfield added that in-house contractors face very low wages without any benefits, including a lack of paid sick leave. The financial instability prevents workers from pursuing family plans, with many titles having been released while employees worked remotely.

Microsoft acknowledged the strike authorization, telling The Verge that significant progress has been made, achieving tentative agreements on most negotiation points.

The company stated, "We respect the team's right to express their viewpoints and are deeply committed to reaching a fair and equitable resolution that acknowledges the teams' contributions."

Moreover, Microsoft mentioned offering a package proposal designed to increase compensation, enhance benefits, and align with the company's hybrid model that includes three in-office days.

Back in November 2024, numerous ZeniMax Workers United staff members conducted a walkout due to dissatisfaction over remote work policies and the outsourcing of quality assurance work.

This prompted the CWA to file an unfair labor charge against Microsoft.