UPDATED: Raven Studios Walkout Extends to Second Day, as QA Workers Across Other Activision Blizzard Studios Join In

Update #2 1:36 PT: A Hollywood lawyer who previously represented women in the Bill O'Reilly and the Cosby sexual harrassment cases, Lisa Bloom, announced she is holding a press conference tomorrow morning outside Blizzard's Irvine Headquarters on behalf of a client who is a current employee at the company. Bloom states their client is an alleged victim of the sexual harrassment culture that has been at the center of the controversy surrounding Activision Blizzard.

You can read Bloom's full press release announcing the conference in the tweet below. The press conference will take place at 9am on Bloom's Instagram page.

I represent a Blizzard employee who alleges she's a victim of sexual harassment. Our press release for our press conference tomorrow at the Irvine headquarters where we will demand accountability for the victims who have been subjected to harassment at the video game company: pic.twitter.com/0PisZ1Zomr

— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) December 7, 2021

UPDATE #1: In solidarity, Treyarch's Central QA team has also walked out, marking suport in the industry from another studio within Activision Blizzard.

In an unprecedented show of love and solidarity, all of Treyarch's central QA has walked out. Thank you, for your devotion to your peers and bettering this industry. #WeareRaven #ABetterABK

— ABetterABK ?? ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) December 7, 2021

Original Story below...

Yesterday’s walkout by QA workers from Raven Software in support of their colleagues that were suddenly let go last Friday is happening for a second day, this time in an expanded way. Other QA workers from across Activision Blizzard, including QAMN, QATX, and Blizzard QA havd joined the walkout in support as it enters its second day.

Activision Blizzard has come under fire for allegations of longstanding discrimination, retaliation, abuse, and otherwise hostile work and labor conditions. Workers at Raven Studios shared a letter to management stating that many on the team had foregone standard promotions and raises that were supposed to happen by March 2021 because there were “positive departmental changes coming”.

Activision Blizzard’s statement in response to the sudden dismissal of a dozen workers who were in good standing was to point to having made hundreds of positions permanent for these temporary workers but that some cuts were necessary. Some may consider a dozen workers let go being insignificant, but the statement included some people requesting disability accommodations and some that had recently relocated to Wisconsin to work for Raven with promises of consistent work.

However, the sudden dismissal and broken promises led to day one of the walkout and today’s support from other studios strengthens their numbers. It doesn’t show signs of letting up, and follows other walkouts from earlier in the year, including last month following a damaging report by the Wall Street Journal. The demands that those let go be rehired in full-time positions is at the center of the walkout, but Activision Blizzard’s overall labor practices are on everyone’s minds.

The show of solidarity between workers is an extension of the ongoing movement for a better working environment and support for workers at Activision blizzard following a series of allegations, investigations, lawsuit, and an ongoing calls for the resignation of CEO Bobby Kotick and replacement of some members of the company board in order to really make changes.

The board has stood by Kotick and expressed confidence in his leadership, while workers continue to feel that leaders are obstacles in the way of meaningful change.