Microsoft Transitions Contract Workers to Full-Time Union Positions

Microsoft is transitioning a group of contract game workers into full-time, unionized employees. According to a report by Bloomberg, 23 members of the 77-person ZeniMax Workers United group will become permanent staff, with a 22% salary increase. The remaining contractors will be offered temporary positions with the company, featuring a $2.75 hourly wage boost and paid sick leave. In a statement, Microsoft Vice President Amy Pannoni expressed the company's commitment to continuing negotiations in good faith to reach a collective bargaining agreement. This development follows the announcement in January by Zenimax Workers United and the Communications Workers of America that a majority of QA developers at Zenimax's US operations supported unionization. Since recognizing the union in April, Microsoft has been engaged in talks with the CWA, resulting in the agreement to transition the 77 contractors into union-represented staff positions. The decision reaffirms Microsoft's labor neutrality stance, as previously reiterated after the acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October.