Worker Wins: Perseverance and Solidarity

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

Blizzard Entertainment Workers Ratify Historic Video Game Contracts: Following two years of negotiations, Communications Workers of America (CWA) members who work for Blizzard Entertainment have voted to ratify historic union contracts that will cover nearly 1,900 video game workers at the Microsoft-owned company. The terms of this first breakthrough agreement will extend to all units across Blizzard’s game teams and shared services, including workers at World of Warcraft, Quality Assurance, Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble, Overwatch, Diablo, and Blizzard’s platform & technology and story and franchise development units. Highlights of the deal include wage increases, new grievance policies, a standard hybrid workweek and new industry layoff provisions—a prominent issue in bargaining, especially following Microsoft’s recent announcement of 3,200 planned job reductions across Xbox. “This contract marks the beginning of a new era at Blizzard Entertainment, but it doesn’t stop with us. I look forward to the day that everyone in the industry can enjoy the protections that this contract affords us, like increased severance and recall rights in the event of a layoff and the ability to grieve injustices in the workplace,” said Overwatch bargaining committee member and quality analyst Simon Hedrick. “This contract is the start of something greater, and I urge everyone to remember: when we fight together, we win together.” “CWA members at Blizzard are leading the way for all XBOX studios, showing what can be achieved when video game workers have a strong voice in shaping their studios for the better. It’s a new day at Blizzard, where greater power for workers is translating into more innovative games for players,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of CWA. “I am so proud of CWA bargaining teams, taking on tough fights and winning strong contracts that set new standards for working people across our industries.”

TWU Members Win Big Raises with Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority: Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority workers—who are represented by Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 171—have ratified a new four-year contract that contains significant wage raises and improved benefits. The bargaining unit includes motorcoach operators, mechanics, customer service agents and other critical staff who successfully won a 14.5% pay increase over the life of the agreement. “Local 171 fought hard against attempts from management to erode longstanding benefits while winning significant pay increases in their latest contract,” TWU International Administrative Vice President Curtis Tate said. “We are happy to have ratified a new deal that will improve the lives of our members and their families.” “This contract is a big win for our families,” said TWU Local 171 President Delisa Brown. “Management wanted to remove the family and medical leave language completely along with maternity leave language and replace it with parental leave. This would cover a mother after the baby was born but she would not have the protected maternity leave before giving birth to her child. I’m proud we were able to negotiate an agreement that benefits families while giving everyone a major pay boost.”  

BattleAxe Digital Workers Win Voluntary Union Recognition: Workers at BattleAxe Digital, a progressive political digital agency, won voluntary recognition as new members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2336. Workers presented management with a letter announcing their intention to join CWA last month after a supermajority of their eligible staff showed their support for the organizing effort.  BattleAxe Digital voluntarily recognized the workers’ union within 24 hours. “So many of us have backgrounds in union organizing or come from previously organized workplaces, and many of BattleAxe’s clients are unions themselves. Unionizing reflects the progressive values that BattleAxe has cultivated and stands as a testament to how much we all care about the work that we do,” said Local 2336 member Neha Cremin, a senior creative associate at BattleAxe Digital. “My hope is that we can work with management during bargaining to standardize how policies are communicated and enforced in a first union contract to make sure that everyone has a reasonable workload and the support to succeed.” “As we head into a critical midterm election, the people producing the creative, driving the fundraising, and running the digital campaigns for Democratic candidates and progressive causes deserve the same voice on the job that they’re fighting for everyone else to have,” said Local 2336 President Melissa Smith-Kupihea. “We’re proud to welcome BattleAxe’s

USW Health Care Workers at Edgewood Sierra Hills Ratify First Contract, Secure Wage Increases: After a hard-fought two-year battle against an aggressive anti-union employer, roughly 40 health care workers at Edgewood Sierra Hills in Cheyenne, Wyoming, ratified their first union contract with the United Steelworkers (USW). The one-year agreement includes a 2.75% wage increase, an increase in weekend shift differential, a perfect attendance bonus, training pay, a scheduling committee, safe staffing language and more. Health care workers at Edgewood Sierra Hills began organizing in 2024 and faced an aggressive anti-union campaign from management. That December, workers launched a 10-day unfair labor practice strike against parent company Edgewood Healthcare in 2024. Employees represented in the contract include nurses, housekeepers, CNAs, transporters, cooks, dining assistants and more.

Union Journalists at Forbes Win First Contract with Editorial Integrity and Job Security Protections: Unionized editorial staff at Forbes, represented by The NewsGuild of New York (an affiliate of The NewsGuild-CWA), ratified their first contract, the culmination of a more than four-year fight since organizing in 2021. The deal sets strong editorial integrity protections, a new salary floor, gold-standard job security protections and more. Forbes Union, which represents nearly 90 reporters, photo and video editors, ratified the three-year contract on Sept. 1. “We refused to accept any deal that didn’t honor the value we bring every day to Forbes,” said Andrea Murphy, unit chair and statistics editor for Forbes. “This contract is the direct result of our union’s perseverance and solidarity.” Highlights from the deal include: Raises of 4%, 3% and 3% in each successive year of the contract; a $2,500 ratification bonus; a new $68,500 wage floor; salary minimums; gold-standard “just cause” job security protections; a one-year recall period for members who are laid off; a pathway to full-time employment for temps; and strong editorial integrity protections.

USW Secures New Collective Bargaining Agreement with Rocky Mountain Steel Mills: Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) in Colorado have a new contract at Rocky Mountain Steel Mills. Production and maintenance workers at the Pueblo mill are represented by USW Local 2102, and clerical, technical and plant protection staff are part of USW Local 3267. The new deal contains wage improvements, including attendance bonuses and performance goal incentives; increases to pension benefits; and retention of health care coverage. “Our members work hard. They care deeply about this mill and this community, and they deserve an agreement that recognizes their contributions. We believe this contract does that while giving us a strong foundation to continue building the future of steelmaking in Pueblo,” said Eric Ludwig, president of Local 2102. “For the second time this decade, the Steelworkers have helped ensure that Pueblo’s manufacturing industry remains a key part of the local economy,” said Charles Perko, president of Local 3267. “Every dollar our members earn through their work can be reinvested in our community through restaurants, stores and other local businesses. When our members win, Pueblo wins.”