Activision Blizzard Acknowledges Collective Bargaining as a Human Right, Yet Refuses to Allow Employees to Exercise It

As Activision Blizzard prepares for its annual stockholder meeting, a proposal has been put forth to commit the company to non-interference when employees attempt to unionize. While the company acknowledges collective bargaining as a human right, it is arguing against the proposal, citing potential risks to shareholders and claiming that it already supports employee freedom of association. However, the company's actions suggest otherwise, with a history of retaliating against employees who attempt to unionize and threatening staff for discussing wages and working conditions. The National Labor Board has found merit in several complaints against the company, but Activision Blizzard claims that the union withdrew some of these charges, and therefore they should not be considered evidence of wrongdoing. The company is also pointing to its recent transparency report as evidence of its commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace, but some shareholders are not satisfied with the report and are calling for more action. The big question is whether shareholders will care about the company's stance on unionization and vote in favor of the proposal. Meanwhile, the gaming industry is abuzz with news from the Not E3 summer showcase week, including Xbox's growing revenue and Microsoft's expectations to top $1 billion in PC game revenues for the first time ever this year. Other notable news includes Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription service, Tokyo Indies' efforts to foster the Japanese indie scene, and Embracer Group's restructuring program, which may result in layoffs and studio closures.