unionization
Latest
Apple will audit its labor practices in the US after union-busting accusations
Apple has agreed to audit its labor practices in the US after regulators and employees accused the company of union busting. In a filing, Apple said it will review its "efforts to comply with its Human Rights Policy as it relates to workers’ freedom of association and collective bargaining rights."
Second group of Activision Blizzard testers wins union vote
A second batch of Activision Blizzard QA workers has voted to form a union.
YouTube Music contractors vote to unionize
The 58 workers want bargaining rights and formal recognition of their bargaining unit after a supermajority signed union cards.
Amazon union rerun election in Alabama will be determined by challenged ballots
Amazon workers at an Alabama warehouse have voted against unionization in a second election, but challenges might change the outcome.
Amazon accused of interfering in Alabama union rerun election
The union that wants to represent workers at Amazon’s BHM1 facility in Bessemer, Alabama is accusing the company of once again violating the National Labor Relations Act.
Epic Games will offer full-time employment to many of its US quality assurance testers
Fortnite developer Epic Games confirmed this weekend it will transition many of its US-based contingent workers to full-time positions with benefits.
'Call of Duty: Warzone' studio will try to unionize without Activision Blizzard's blessing
Meanwhile, management is shuffling potential union members to new departments.
Google Fiber workers in Kansas City make a bid to unionize
A supermajority of customer service workers, jointly employed by Google and BDS Connected Solutions, have signed union cards with a division of the Communication Workers of America, and are petitioning the NLRB for recognition.
Amazon workers in New York City are building toward a union vote
Amazon may soon face a second unionization effort in less than a year.
Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama vote against unionization
Amazon is on track to beat back the historic unionization attempt at its BHM1 fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama.
Google unions around the world form Alpha Global alliance
Various Alphabet unions have joined forces and created a global alliance called Alpha Global. It was created with some help from UNI Global, a federation of unions that represents 20 million workers from a variety of fields including the technology industry. According to The Verge, 13 different unions are part of Alpha Global, spanning 10 different countries including the US, UK, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.
Kickstarter employees vote to unionize
More tech company workers are unionizing in an attempt to improve their bargaining power. A group of 85 Kickstarter employees have voted to unionize, aligning themselves with a branch of the Office and Professional Employees International Union in New York. The staffers will use their collective bargaining power to push for equal pay, more inclusive hiring, greater transparency from management and more of a say in decisions.
Instacart employees in Chicago are the first to unionize in the US
Gig economy workers may have won an important, if conditional, battle in their push for better conditions. Instacart employees in the Chicago suburb of Skokie have voted to unionize through their local branch of United Food and Commercial Workers, giving them more collective bargaining power than they had before. The move only covers 15 staffers who operate at the Mariano's grocery store, but it's the first time Instacart employees have unionized in the US and could affect issues like turnover rates, work pacing and mysterious employee rating algorithms.
After Math: Gamer, set, match
Gaming enthusiasts had a lot to cheer for this week. Google revealed the results of a competition between its Starcraft II AI and a pair of pro players, though there wasn't much "competition" in the 10-1 bloodbath. GDC's State of the Industry survey revealed broad support for unionization initiatives among respondents. And of course Farming Simulator now has its own eSports league.
Uber and Lyft are losing their fight against unionization
A federal judge has dealt a blow to ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft, after dismissing an appeal to block legislation that would allow their drivers to unionize. US District Court Judge Robert Lasnik rejected the lawsuit filed by the US Chamber of Commerce on behalf of its members (including Uber and Lyft), which argued that drivers are contractors, not employees, and therefore federal and state laws do not give them the right to unionize. This is good news for advocates of Seattle's Uber unionization law, which was passed by City Council in 2015 and gave rideshare drivers collective bargaining rights. But they're not out of the woods yet. In April Lasnik temporarily blocked this law from going into effect while he considered its various legal challenges, and it remains blocked despite the rejection of the Chamber's lawsuit.
