The Communication Workers of America Files Complaint Against Activision Contractor
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) recently made headlines by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Lionbridge Technologies, an Activision contractor. The union claims that Lionbridge wrongfully laid off 160 workers in an alleged act of retaliation for attempting to unionize.
Details of the Allegations
According to reports, Lionbridge Technologies, a company providing QA testing for Activision, carried out the layoffs in Boise, Idaho. The workers were reportedly informed that the project had ended, despite work still ongoing in offices located in Mexico and Poland. The CWA argues that these layoffs were a direct response to the workers’ efforts to organize and speak out about their working conditions, which is protected by federal law.
The affected employees were said to have been offered severance packages with overly broad confidentiality clauses. Additionally, Lionbridge allegedly requested that the laid-off workers waive their rights under the National Labor Relations Act, a move that was deemed illegal by the NLRB. This isn’t the first time Lionbridge has been accused of anti-union practices while working with Microsoft.
Union’s Response
The CWA issued a statement calling out Microsoft’s contractor for violating workers’ rights and engaging in union-busting activities. The union referenced Microsoft’s stated commitment to respecting workers’ rights to organize and express their concerns, urging the tech giant to hold its contractors to the same standards it sets for itself.
(via GameSpot)