Double Fine Joins the Union Movement at Microsoft
On May 7, the creative minds at Double Fine, the studio behind fan-favorites like Psychonauts and Keeper, took a significant step by filing a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board. This move includes all 42 of their dedicated part-time and full-time crew members and marks an important chapter since they’ve been part of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios since 2019.
The unionization effort is being led in collaboration with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the largest media labor union in the United States. This organization has been vocal in advocating for workers’ rights within Microsoft and has played a vital role in forming the first industry-wide videogame union in North America just last year. They’ve already made strides in organizing other Microsoft studios, such as Activision and Zenimax.
The CWA announced that Double Fine employees are seeking voluntary recognition from Microsoft to ensure their commitment to creative excellence, diversity, and an improved quality of life at work. They’ve also submitted their petition to the National Labor Relations Board, signaling a strong desire for better representation.
In their statement, the CWA expressed gratitude towards Microsoft for adopting a neutral stance and not interfering with the employees’ right to organize. This is a positive move as negotiations for improved working conditions often take time. For instance, Blizzard’s QA team recently secured a contract with better pay and layoff protections after three long years of discussions. Similarly, QA workers at Raven took the same amount of time to achieve their contract last August.
This union drive is part of a larger movement within the gaming industry led by the CWA, which recently saw the United Videogame Workers of CWA marching through GDC to advocate for higher standards across the board, famously pushing for a “Game Workers’ Bill of Rights.” It’s an exciting time for workers in the gaming community as they strive for fair representation and better working conditions.