165 id Software employees vote to unionize in Texas

Video game workers at Microsoft-owned id Software have voted to form a union alongside CWA in Texas.

id Software has become the latest Microsoft video game development studio to vote in favor of union representation with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). 165 video game workers will be members of CWA Local 6215 in Richardson, Texas. Microsoft has recognized the union.

Here are some quotes from the joint press release issued on CWA's website:

The wall-to-wall organizing effort at id Software was much needed; it’s incredibly important that developers across the industry unite to push back on all the unilateral workplace changes that are being handed down from industry executives,” said CWA Local 6215 organizing committee member and id Software Producer Andrew Willis. “The union is a way for us, the developers, to take back control of the industry we love and to ensure that it delivers high-quality products from high-quality workers who have health benefits and longevity beyond quarterly profits.

I’m very proud to be a part of this effort to organize our studio, to have a voice in decisions that directly affect myself and my coworkers, said CWA Local 6215 organizing committee member and id Software Senior VFX Artist Caroline Pierrot. In an industry that has proven to be very unstable over the last few years, more unions means more power to the workers and a real shot at shaping the future of the industry for the better.

Remote work isn’t a perk. It’s a necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs. RTO policies should not be handed down from executives with no consideration for accessibility or our well-being, said CWA Local 6215 organizing committee member and id Software Lead Services Programmer Chris Hays. With a union, we will have the opportunity to make sure that everyone has a voice in the things that matter most to us.

Texas has emerged as a force in building collective power for video game and tech workers across the state and across the industry, said CWA Local 6215 President Ron Swaggerty. We look forward to sitting across the table from Microsoft to negotiate a contract that reflects the skill, creativity, and dedication these workers bring to every project.

id Software is known for making games like Doom and Quake that have been at the center of our nearly 30 years of video game news coverage here at Shacknews. We are delighted to see these video game workers including devs, artists, programmers, QA, and support staff stand up to a giant technology behemoth like Microsoft for their rights.

CWA Local 6215 will be negotiating for a better workplace environment with id Software parent company Microsoft that will focus on things like remote work, crunch, and other workers' rights issues.