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On the Clock is Motherboard's reporting on the organized labor movement, gig work, automation, and the future of work.
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Bulatao’s interpretation of how the unionizing process works is misleading. Until the majority of workers vote to unionize, most anti-union employers will not recognize a union that the company must legally negotiate with. t's also an argument that companies big and small use to try to dissuade workers from unionizing. Unions such as CWA help workers negotiate with their employers over issues such as wages, benefits, and sexual harassment protocols, elevate their voices and give them more bargaining power. In other words, in a typical unionization and collective bargaining process, workers are directly involved in negotiating better working conditions for themselves.
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Activision Blizzard, CWA, and the ABK Workers Alliance, the employees’ group that has been fighting for change inside the company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The email is the latest salvo in a conflict that’s been escalating quickly in the last few months, after the state of California filed a lawsuit against the games giant for being “breeding ground for harassment.” Since then, several employees and former employees have come out sharing stories of sexual harassment and discrimination. On Wednesday, an employee sued Activision Blizzard for retaliating against her after reporting that she was harassed.“When I complained to my supervisors, I was told ‘They were just joking’ and that I should get over it,” the employee, who goes by her first name Christine to protect her privacy, said in a press conference. “I was told not to go to HR. I was told that the harassing men were ‘just trying to be friends with me.’ I was told, ‘They did nothing wrong by law.’”Subscribe to our podcast, CYBER. Subscribe to our new Twitch channel.Do you, or did you used to, work at Activision Blizzard? We'd love to hear from you. Using a non-work phone or computer, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, Wickr/Telegram/Wire @lorenzofb, or email lorenzofb@vice.com. You can contact Lauren Kaori Gurley by email lauren.gurley@vice.com or securely on Signal 201-897-2109.