{"id":34661,"date":"2022-06-03T06:11:27","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T06:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/microsoft-says-nice-things-about-unions-ahead-of-ftc-review\/"},"modified":"2022-06-03T06:11:27","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T06:11:27","slug":"microsoft-says-nice-things-about-unions-ahead-of-ftc-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/microsoft-says-nice-things-about-unions-ahead-of-ftc-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Says Nice Things About Unions Ahead Of FTC Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\"Workers<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Photo: Kevork Djansezian<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/figure>\n

Microsoft is trying to strike a more conciliatory tone with organized labor as it looks to get its $ 69 billion mega video game merger with Activision Blizzard OK’d by the Federal Trade Commission. Vice chairman and president Brad Smith wrote that the company is \u201ccommitted to creative and collaborative approaches with unions\u201d in a blog post Thursday. It’s a rare proactive step that comes shortly after a group of Activision Blizzard developers formed the first ever union at a major gaming company<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“Our employees will never need to organize to have a dialogue with Microsoft’s leaders,” Smith wrote<\/span>. \u201cBut we also recognize the workplace is changing. That’s why we are sharing principles to guide our approach with labor organizations. ” He proceeded to lay out principles for dealing with unions that stopped just short of actually saying Microsoft would voluntarily recognize any new unions employees tried to form in the future. The comments also come after recent reports<\/span> that the FTC will be looking into the impact on labor when it reviews Microsoft’s deal to buy Activision Blizzard.<\/p>\n

Communications Workers of America Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens called the announcement “encouraging and unique among the major tech companies” in a statement, but also said “these principles must be put into action and incorporated into Microsoft’s day-to-day operations and its expectations for its contractors. ” Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n