Workers at Keywords Studios, who have historically supported BioWare’s quality assurance (QA) efforts, are moving toward unionization, according to filings filed in Canada. Polygon confirmed the filing with the Alberta Labor Relations Board on Monday.
An account named KeywordsUnitedYEG posted a reference to Reddit’s Alberta Forum, also on Monday, noting that workers had organized under the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union local number 401 to become a certified negotiator for a unit of employees Keywords Studios BC That means the next Mass Effect or Dragon Age game could eventually be tested by union workers.
Keywords is a company that, according to its website, offers “long-term and cost-effective video game testing solutions” for other developers. It lists BioWare, Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Google, Intel, Sony, and Square Enix as some of its partners. According to the company’s official website, it has provided QA for the latest Dragon Age and Mass Effect titles – BioWare’s most successful series.
This is another step forward for unionization in the games industry, as some studios seek to unionize even in the face of opposition from publishers and management. Raven Software, a support QA studio that worked on the popular Call of Duty franchise, is also in the early stages of unionizing.
Polygon has the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union, Local No. 401, as well as Keywords, BioWare and Electronic Arts for further comments.
