This week, after many returned from time off during the holidays, employees from the Raven Software QA department and their supporters are now starting their third week on strike. This comes following 12 QA testers having been dismissed suddenly, with some having moved to Wisconsin at their own expense , some foregoing expected bonuses when given talk of positive changes coming in the new year. Last month, employees of Raven QA decided to strike and other employees across Activision Blizzard joined them.
According to a release by the Raven employees on strike, they are asking for their QA colleagues to be reinstated and all QA testers be given full-time positions. This is the third work week that employees are striking in solidarity, but they say they have not had any communication from leadership about their demand.
Today is the third week in which employees across the company are striking in solidarity with Raven QA in response to surprise layoffs. Having had no response from our leadership, Raven QA sent the following letter earlier today. #WeAreRaven pic.twitter.com/e9AjbpuiJN
— ABetterABK ?? ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) January 4, 2022
The letter also saye they’re seeking to discuss other potential options, beginning with the expectations on both sides. Also on the list of topics the striking employees would like to discuss include relocation packages for those who moved to Wisconsin at their own expense and were let go, context of the situation from leadership and an overall impression of what leadership’s goals are for the Raven QA department going forward.
This update comes as IGN is reporting that Call of Duty: Warzone has a huge bug created with the addition of a new skin. The skin glitches and when viewed from a distance, renders a player almost completely invisible. Given that Raven’s QAdepartment has been on strike, this particular bug hasn’t been handled. The glitch is also being referred to as accidentally pay-to-win given that it offers players a degree of stealth that they shouldn’t have.
This issue, some are already saying, reflects the need for the QA team to catch these glitches and take care of them, and the QA team’s absence demonstrates its value.