• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Techlawsuits

Activision Blizzard accused of trying to stop workers communicating about pay and working conditions

By
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 17, 2022, 11:23 AM ET
The image shows multiple Activision Blizzard employees protesting against sexism at the company.
Several hundred Activision Blizzard employees stage a walkout at company headquarters on July 28, 2021, in Irvine, Calif. Allen J. Schaben—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Video-game maker Activision Blizzard is facing fresh accusations of labor law violations, with workers alleging the company spied on them and attempted to stop them from communicating about pay and working conditions.

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union filed an unfair labor practice charge against the company with the National Labor Relations Board earlier this week.

In the filing, the CWA alleged that Activision “engaged in illegal surveillance of workers during the walkout to end gender inequity” and “cut off access to a chat channel where workers were discussing wages, hours, and working conditions.”

The company—behind smash-hit franchises Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Crash Bandicoot—was also accused by the CWA of threatening to shut down other internal channels of communication where workers discussed labor issues.

The CWA argued that these were examples of Activision’s “continued efforts to undermine and suppress workers’ right to organize.”

U.S. workers covered by the National Labor Relations Act have a legal right to discuss their pay and working conditions with their colleagues.

A spokesperson for the CWA told Fortune in a phone call on Wednesday that under current legislation, there were “not a lot of penalties” for companies found to be guilty of breaching labor laws—but the union was hopeful that a ruling against Activision would hold the firm to account and “make it clear to workers that they have rights.”

“Making workers aware of their rights is a very important thing and one of the reasons we file these charges,” the spokesperson said. “Yes, you are allowed to go to rallies without bosses surveilling you. Yes, you are allowed to discuss your pay.”

The CWA added that Activision employees had told the union it was “visibly pretty obvious” security personnel from the company had attended worker protests against gender inequity last July to observe them.

A spokesperson for Activision Blizzard told Fortune the CWA’s allegations about the company cutting off access to employee chat channels were false.

The company added that it routinely had PR staff on site at employee walkouts to answer questions from reporters.

“The CWA continues to create an inaccurate picture of Activision Blizzard that willfully ignores the facts,” they said.

“The CWA’s efforts are preventing the company from protecting our employees from disrespectful or disparaging remarks. Activision Blizzard remains committed to being the most inclusive and welcoming workplace. This includes the way individuals treat one another during meetings or in open forums.”

History of troubles

This week’s filing against Activision marks the CWA’s third unfair labor practice charge against the company.

Back in April, the CWA filed a grievance over Activision allegedly telling workers they were not permitted to discuss issues relating to the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed against the company.

Activision was sued by the State of California last year, with the lawsuit describing a culture of sexual harassment at the company in which female workers were discriminated against and paid less.

It was one of several lawsuits filed against Activision, including one that was settled for $18 million earlier this year and another that alleged “rampant sexism” at the company.

In May, U.S. labor board prosecutors ruled in favor of the CWA, finding that the company had illegally threatened employees and enforced social media policies that undermined their collective action rights.

The ruling created a headache for the company, which is working to finalize its $69 billion sale to Microsoft.

In July, the deal hit another hurdle when U.K. antitrust regulators opened a probe into the takeover bid.

The CWA told Fortune on Wednesday that Microsoft had agreed once the deal was complete that it would be “neutral” with union organizing.

“Activision is choosing a different path during this period [leading up to the takeover], and it’s incredibly frustrating; it’s putting workers through a lot of unnecessary stress and causing morale problems,” the CWA said.

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Chloe Taylor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

I know how Gen Z can survive the ‘jobpocalypse’ because I built an AI company — in 2015
CommentaryCareers
I know how Gen Z can survive the ‘jobpocalypse’ because I built an AI company — in 2015
By Jeremy FainJuly 1, 2026
24 minutes ago
OCBC rolls out its ‘avatar banking’ platform with ‘Wendy’ and ‘Wayne,’ two virtual financial advisors, as banks integrate AI into wealth management
AsiaSingapore
OCBC rolls out its ‘avatar banking’ platform with ‘Wendy’ and ‘Wayne,’ two virtual financial advisors, as banks integrate AI into wealth management
By Angelica AngJuly 1, 2026
28 minutes ago
Photo: Rocks balancing on driftwood, sea in background.
AIMarkets
Leveraged stock bets are ‘very concentrated in the AI ecosystem,’ Goldman Sachs warns
By Jim EdwardsJuly 1, 2026
1 hour ago
Sean McClain wears a lab coat
Startups & VentureTerm Sheet
Eli Lilly just placed a $40 million bet on the next injectable boom
By Lily Mae LazarusJuly 1, 2026
1 hour ago
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on April 23, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: George Chan/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Microsoft may cut thousands more jobs in a bid to control costs
By Andrew NuscaJuly 1, 2026
2 hours ago
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big TechNvidia
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
6 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
4 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
2 days ago
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
AI
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
By Catherina GioinoJune 29, 2026
2 days ago
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
Commentary
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
By Marc AndersenJune 30, 2026
23 hours ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.