The Communication Workers of America union CWA said on Monday that the company will recognize a union of about 300 videogame testers at the subsidiary ZeniMax Studios if they vote to unionize, a first for the company in the United States.
On Friday, four ZeniMax employees at four locations in Maryland and Texas started voting through an online platform. The company owns a number of game franchises, including The Elder Scrolls and Fallout.
A voluntary agreement to bargain with the union would allow Microsoft to avoid the formal election overseen by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board and the legal battles that often ensue.
CWA President Christopher Shelton applauded Microsoft's move in a statement, saying that when workers have the chance to join a union without company interference, it empowers them to have their voices heard in the workplace. Microsoft didn't respond immediately to a request for comment.
In June, the company entered an agreement with the CWA to remain neutral in union organizing campaigns at Activision Blizzard Inc., which Microsoft is seeking to purchase for $69 billion. The proposed acquisition is subject to antitrust scrutiny from the U.S. and European regulators.
Game testers at Activision units Blizzard Albany and Raven Software have voted to join the unions this year because of the claims by the CWA that the company has threatened and retaliated against union supporters. Activision has denied wrongdoing.