Bethesda Montreal to Unionise

Written by Dante Uzel on 27 June 2024 09:30

Bethesda Montreal branch has recently established a union. In a Twitter thread, One BGS MTL, the union representing BGS Montreal, announced its filing for certification with the Quebec Labour Board today. The union aims to affiliate with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Canada.

In January 2023, ZeniMax QA workers at its US operations formed ZeniMax Workers United, marking the company's initial unionization. Now, BGS Montreal becomes the second ZeniMax studio to unionize.

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Recently, the CWA confirmed that all ZeniMax studio employees are protected under Microsoft's labor neutrality agreement, a commitment made by both parties in 2022. This agreement mandates Microsoft to maintain a neutral stance regarding unionization efforts within ZeniMax.

In contrast to the growth of unions in the gaming industry in recent years, 2023 and 2024 have witnessed significant layoffs. By early 2024, more than 6,000 jobs were affected, with the number continuing to rise throughout the year.

Workers stated "As a union, we will strive to make BGS a supportive workplace that fosters creativity and talent. This will allow us to keep creating some of the best video games in the industry in the jobs and at the studio we all love."