This Is a Response to Activision Blizzard’s Newest Mandate
Activision Blizzard had decided to do something in the workplace and apparently, because of this, employees have decided to walk out.
Jessica Gonzalez, a former Activision Blizzard employee and a founder of A Better ABK, revealed that Chief Administrative Officer Brian Bulatao sent a company-wide email. Effective immediately, the mandate for employees do not need to be vaccinated for Covid-19. Moreover, there is a plan in place to have everyone working back in the various Activision Blizzard offices by June 2022.
All of this was due to the fact that, according to Bulatao’s email, this is to “align our site protocols with local guidance“. At least, within the American office. And while “proof of vaccinations are no longer required to work in the office, we ask that you confirm your vaccination status“. Which is confusing, and seems to assume that vaccination will ensure that there will be no case spikes.
LEAKED: Brian Bulatao emailed all of ABK to talk returning to office in June. They will not be enforcing proof of vaccination. I’m sure the ‘benefits’ of in person collaboration is actually so employees organizing can be followed and monitored closely. Do not die for this company pic.twitter.com/MSOwWVYBR3
— Jessica Gonzalez 💙 is a chair 🪑 (@_TechJess) March 31, 2022
Blizzard employees, at least, are expected to have proof of vaccination. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Blizzard chief Mike Ybarra sent out an email that employees will have to have proof of vaccination.
This is not the same for the rest of Activision. There is little surprise then, that employees are upset. “As part of returning to office, Blizzard and Activision Blizzard held several feedback sessions and polls over the course of three months, at the end of which they decided to mandate the vaccine for workers coming into office,” a representative for ABK Workers Alliance stated to Polygon. “This was the agreement under which people agreed to come back. This recent change was not run by any employees before being announced.”
At the same time, Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra emailed staff saying they'll continue to require vaccination for at least the next few months and that about 80% of their employees in Irvine, Austin, and Albany have uploaded proof of vaccination
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) April 1, 2022
All of this boils down to the planned walkout for employees, on April 4, 2022, at 1 PM ET in protest. A Better ABK has posted three demands on Friday: An immediate reversal to lifting the vaccine requirement, remote work should be offered as a permanent solution and the decision to work remote or in-office should be made by each individual employee.
It’s difficult to say how many employees plan to walk out at this time. While there have been no comments from A Better ABK nor Activision Blizzard at this time, there had been a follow-up email on the following day of the first email, stating: “Although we are not on a company-wide basis requiring vaccinations to enter our buildings in the US, it is still up to the leaders of Activision Publishing, Blizzard, and King to determine the processes and policies that work best for their employees and locations based on local conditions and risk.”
We will have to see how many walkout, and if this statement in the follow-up letter has appeased or displeased their workers.