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Activision Blizzard Workers Plan Mass Protest

Employees stage walkout against discrimination and harassment
by Luke Luby on July 29, 2021   

Employees at Activision Blizzard have started a mass walkout to protect the company's discrimination, sexual harassment,  and a "frat boy" culture at the studio. The company culture first came to light when the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) filed a lawsuit outlining the allegations. Employees subsequently issued an open letter criticizing the studio's response to the suit.

The mass walkout is just the latest protest from within the company itself. Alongside this, they've demanded four changes within Activision Blizzard. These are updated huma resource policies, an end to compulsory arbitration clauses in contracts, promotion rates and compensation being publicly released, and a company-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion task force.

In a statement announcing the walkout, the employees said:

"Given last week’s statements from Activision Blizzard, Inc. and their legal counsel regarding the DFEH lawsuit, as well as the subsequent internal statement from Frances Townsend, and the many stories shared by current and former employees of Activision Blizzard since, we believe that our values as employees are not being accurately reflected in the words and actions of our leadership."

The walkout took place on July 28 between 10am and 2pm. The World of Warcraft leadership team also noted that employees working on the game who take part in the protest will continue to be paid. As Blizzard senior software engineer Valentine Powell said:

"Our leadership on the WoW team has worked with us over the last week to respond and start taking action. In addition to this message, crafted in large part by the non-men across our team, our leadership has also agreed to pay us for the time we are taking off for our walkout and committed to allowing leads and managers to participate in the strike without fear of recrimination. I see this as the first step toward them being willing to speak with their actions."

Activision Blizzard continues to defend itself against the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit.

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