QA workers at Keywords Studios, a company that works alongside other video game companies by testing their games, have begun a Canadian unionization effort. Recently, a reddit account, named KeywordsUnitedYEG, posted notice that employees have filed to become a certified bargaining power for employees at Keywords Studios B.C, specifically under the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union, Local No. 401. If 40% of QA workers support the bargaining power, then the potential bargaining power will conduct a secret ballot to figure out which employees wish to be represented by the trade unions during contract negotiations. Any employees who oppose the bargaining unit due to potential violations of Canadian law have until May 3rd to state any objections to the union.
Keywords Studios works very closely with BioWare, the developer of video game successes like Dragon Age: Inquisition and Mass Effect series. Furthermore, not only do Keywords Studios QA contractors work with BioWare, but the company also lists working with other video game companies like Electronic Arts; Google; Intel; Sony; Square Enix; and, ironically, Blizzard Entertainment. Therefore, if unionization were to succeed, video game companies with Canadian offices could very well become tested by unionized QA workers. This situation at Keywords Studios could easily create momentum of video game QA testers establishing more unions, the like those seen already by Raven Studio’s recent efforts.
Game Workers Unite, the union attempting to be established by Raven Studios’ QA workers, tweeted in support of Keywords Studios employees. GWA tweeted, “Solidarity to BioWare QA from everyone at Raven QA!” The paradigm shift of QA workers fighting to organize might be the start of new era in video game industry culture, one companies are already starting to fear and fight.