Employees at Activision Blizzard have announced they will conduct a walk out later in the month, claiming the company’s “current healthcare policies do not adequately protect the workers of ABK”.
Taking to Twitter, ABK Workers Alliance has announced that the Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination has organised a walk out, which will take place on July 21.
In light of the United States Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe V. Wade, which protected abortion rights at a federal level, ABK Workers Alliance says it is “calling for protection of several communities of marginalised workers”.
Our walk-out demands focus on the protections of ABK employees from external threats like the recent overturn of Roe V. Wade, and internal threats such as retaliation and harassment while in the workplace. (3/17)
— ABetterABK
ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) July 6, 2022
The organisation added that “the company’s current healthcare policies do not adequately protect the workers of ABK” and says that although employees are currently offered £3,333 ($4000) in reimbursement for out-of-state medical care, this still leaves “employees open to legal prosecution in their home state” and doesn’t “remove workers from imminent danger”.
ABK’s demands “ensure that our workers safely, affordably, and legally maintain access to life saving procedures like abortions and trans-affirming healthcare,” and also demands that management begins and maintains a conversation with the employee-led Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination.
Our walkout demands represent several actions that our company should take to protect its workers, and can be seen in this graphic (15/17) pic.twitter.com/17ZGTLofgJ
— ABetterABK
The group also demands Activision Blizzard makes a commitment to upholding a neutral stance in workers’ organisation efforts – something Microsoft has already pledged it will uphold when it acquires Activision Blizzard. According to ABK Workers Alliance, employees continue to be “harassed and intimidated” for organising.
ABK Workers Alliance has also explained why it is resorting to a walk out, claiming that “in the past, we have attempted to work with management to address issues of this nature, but over the past year have had our concerns dismissed.”
“Demonstrations of this level have been proven to be the most effective solution to this problem.”
In other news, Take-Two has issued a DMCA takedown to a modder known for creating VR conversion mods for the company’s games.
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