Activision Blizzard responds to workers’ strike over vaccine mandate drop

Some Activision Blizzard workers will be out of work on Monday after the company dropped the vaccine mandate before returning to work in the coming months. Comfortable COVID-19 plan news It was leaked on social media Following an email from Activision Blizzard CEO Brian Bulatao.

In the email, Bulatau said vaccinations are no longer required for employees to return to the office, effective immediately. Activision Blizzard workers are expected to return to the workplace in the coming months, although he will be back immediately Impact on those currently working from the office. Polatau cited raising vaccine requirements “across the United States,” as cases of COVID-19 increase in Asia and Europe, According to Vox. Some experts suggest a new wave is coming – or has already begun – in the United States, The New York Times reported.

After Polato’s email, some Activision Blizzard employees began publicly opposing the request to bring him down. The Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait Workers Alliance, a group formed in the wake of the initial sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Activision Blizzard since last year and which has run several strikes since then, announced the strike on Friday – and is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 4th. You have an estimated number of participants.

The group is calling on Activision Blizzard to rescind the dropped vaccine requirements, introduce remote work as a “permanent solution,” and allow workers to make these work-from-home decisions individually. Supporters and participants can continue to checkout with two hashtags: #SickOfThis and #GameWorkersUnite.

“As part of the return to office, Blizzard and Activision Blizzard held several feedback sessions and surveys over a three-month period, at the end of which they decided to mandate the vaccine for the incoming workers,” said a representative of the ABK workers union. ribbed. This was the agreement by which the people agreed to return. This latest change was not triggered by any employees prior to it being announced.”

The actor added that the studio management had not been informed or consulted. “This reversal puts people at risk of infection. I and many other employees are outraged that our company is pushing for a mandatory return to the position with this restriction lifted.”

Activision Blizzard employees stopped working several times in 2021, The first happened in July 2021 Following the company’s “disgusting and humiliating” response to a lawsuit issued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which exposed serious allegations of sex discrimination and harassment in the world of cans and publisher of Call of Duty. The workers went out again, Calls for the resignation of CEO Bobby Kotikthe following November The Wall Street Journal report It details Kotick’s alleged involvement in downplaying reports of employee misconduct.

In December, Activision Blizzard The workers came out again After they said a number of QA workers had been laid off. The strike led to a strike that ended when workers announced a union effort at the company. these workers, It’s called the Game Workers AllianceThey are awaiting a decision by the National Labor Relations Board on the possible scope of the union.

Update: After announcing the withdrawal, Polatau sent a second email to Activision Blizzard employees writing that despite the company-wide policy, leadership at Activision Publishing, Blizzard, and King “can determine the processes and policies that work best for their employees and locations based on local conditions.” and risks.”

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreyer tweeted That Blizzard President Mike Ybarra emailed employees shortly after, saying that Blizzard would maintain vaccine requirements “for at least the next few months.”

An Activision Blizzard spokesperson also provided the following statement in an email to Polygon:

The health and safety of our employees is paramount in everything we do, including our back-to-office policy. While Activision Blizzard’s US vaccine mandate has been lifted, for the majority of our employees, we are still operating under the opportunity of a voluntary return to the office. In addition, employees who do not feel comfortable returning to the office are encouraged to work with their manager and our Human Resources team to explore options for work arrangements that best suit their individual situation. We will continue to monitor conditions and make adjustments to the policy as needed.

We realize that some employees may go on strike to express their opinions. The Company supports the right of our employees to express their opinions in a safe and non-threatening manner, and will not retaliate against any decision to participate in such withdrawal. The company also hopes that those who withdraw will act in a legal, safe, and nonviolent manner.