Relationship between Microsoft and labor unions around the world
Microsoft recognizes 4 trade unions in the United States at its video game subsidiaries Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax Media since 2022. Microsoft South Korea recognizes its union since 2017. German employees have elected Works Councils since 1998. Microsoft workers have been active in opposing military/law-enforcement contracts with their employer.
Germany
Microsoft Germany has 2,700 employees and 6 offices across Germany as of 2014. Employees are represented by local Works Councils and a Central Works Council since 1998.[1]
United States
Microsoft recognizes 4 different video game unions and has a labor neutrality agreement that extends to all Microsoft workers, including its subsidiaries Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax Media as of 2024. When Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard it inherited two video game unions from subsidiaries Raven Software and Blizzard Albany. Microsoft recognizes two additional unions at ZeniMax Studios and Activision. In two previous union drives at contractor Lionbridge in 2016 and 2024, the unions allege that Lionbridge fired workers in retaliation.
In 2014, 38 software testers employed by Lionbridge and contracted to Microsoft formed "Temporary Workers Alliance", a trade union. A year later, Microsoft required Lionbridge to provide at least 3 weeks of vacation.[2] In 2016, Lionbridge announced layoffs, two months after the union had ratified their first collective agreement. As part of the negotiations, the union had agreed to drop a joint employer case between the union and Lionbridge/Microsoft.[3]
Following the Raven QA team's successful unionization, the 20-member QA team of Blizzard Albany announced a unionization drive in July 2022 as GWA Albany.[9] The vote passed (14–0), forming the second union at an Activision Blizzard subsidiary.[10]
In June 2024, an unfair labor practice was filed against the Lionbridge by CWA alleging that the company illegally terminated the employment of 160 Activision software testers in Boise, Idaho, in retaliation for exercising their right to participate in concerted union activities. As part of the layoff, CWA also alleges that workers were required to sign an overly broad confidentiality agreement and an illegal waiver of certain rights protected by the National Labor Relations Act.[13]
GitHub (subsidiary of Microsoft) has a $200,000 contract with ICE for the use of their on-site product GitHub Enterprise Server. This contract was renewed in 2019, despite internal opposition from many GitHub employees. In an email sent to employees, later posted to the GitHub blog on October 9, 2019, CEO Nat Friedman stated "The revenue from the purchase is less than $200,000 and not financially material for our company." He announced that GitHub had pledged to donate $500,000 to "nonprofit groups supporting immigrant communities targeted by the current administration."[17] In response, at least 150 GitHub employees signed an open letter re-stating their opposition to the contract, and denouncing alleged human rights abuses by ICE. As of November 13, 2019, five workers had resigned over the contract.[18][19][20]
The ICE contract dispute came into focus again in June 2020 due to the company's decision to abandon "master/slave" branch terminology, spurred by the George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter movement.[21] Detractors of GitHub describe the branch renaming to be a form of performative activism and have urged GitHub to cancel their ICE contract instead.[22] An open letter from members of the open source community was shared on GitHub in December 2019, demanding that the company drop its contract with ICE and provide more transparency into how they conduct business and partnerships. The letter has been signed by more than 700 people.[23]
South Korea
In the Summer of 2017,[24] 370 workers (half of the total workforce) of Microsoft Korea (South Korea) formed The Microsoft Korea Worker's Union.[25] It is led by Lee Ok-Hyoung, and affiliated to the Korea Confederation of Trade Union.[26][note 1]
On 24 November 2021, 90% of the union membership voted to go on strike over long working hours and a 3.5% pay increase that was rejected by the union membership.[25]