Following news that Microsoft laid off 1,900 staffers from its games division, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) said that the move has not impacted any of the staffers it represents.

The CWA represents some employees from Microsoft divisions, including ZeniMax Studios and Activision Blizzard.

Senior QA tester and member of ZeniMax Workers United-CWA Wayne Dayberry said, “Layoffs in the video game industry are becoming the norm, even at companies that continue to deliver huge profits. It hurts to see our coworkers, who are so passionate about this work, who actually make these video game companies so successful, be the first impacted by any cuts or layoffs at work.”

“…Union representation can’t always protect against layoffs, but through union representation and the bargaining process, video game workers can establish greater transparency and policies that put our needs first, including layoff protections.

They added, “That’s why we want every video game worker to join our union. Together, we have the power to set new standards for our industry so that we can do the work we are passionate about safe from exploitation.”

Back in 2023, Microsoft confirmed that it would honor its labor neutrality agreement with the CWA following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.