After two years of negotiations, unionized employees across multiple Blizzard teams have reached a company-wide unified contract covering nearly 2,000 people. The contract addresses layoff compensation, rehiring rights, remote work, wage standards, and the application of AI technology.
The contract covers employees working on franchises such as World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and Hearthstone. Different teams will now be subject to common rights and protection clauses, rather than signing separate individual contracts.
Layoff protections are one of the main components of this agreement. Employees facing layoffs will receive at least four weeks of severance pay, with an additional week added for every six months of service, up to a maximum of 39 weeks.
The agreement also stipulates a 14-month right of rehire. Eligible employees who leave one Blizzard team may have the opportunity to return to the company if positions open up in other teams. The contract also includes "just cause" restrictions, limiting the circumstances under which the company can terminate employees.
Remote employees can continue working remotely, and existing hybrid work arrangements will receive further protection. The agreement also establishes new minimum wage standards, with some employees receiving salary increases of up to 34%.
The use of AI technology is also included in the contract. Blizzard must negotiate with the union before introducing any AI technology that could affect working conditions. This marks the culmination of two years of negotiations, resulting in a unified agreement covering multiple teams.