California sues Blizzard for "Widespread Harassment Of Women"

[Skinypupy]

Employees staging a walkout tomorrow, both live and virtual

The protest event, formally known as the Activision Blizzard Walkout for Equality, will be held tomorrow virtually from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT, with a live event staged at the Blizzard campus in Irvine, California from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Employees unable to attend in person are asked to stop their work during these times and signal boost via social media using the hashtag #ActiBlizzWalkout. Turnout is expected to be about 50 or more in person, with many more joining virtually for the sake of covid-19 safety.

“We are encouraging employees to take whatever time off they feel safe to do,” an employee rep told Kotaku. “Most of us plan to take the full day off (without pay), but we understand some people like contractors and associates, and those who are paid less than they deserve, might not have the ability to do so.”

The announcement of the walkout is accompanied by a statement of intent letter addressed to Activision Blizzard management. The letter states that employees believe their values are not being reflected by management and issues a series of demands meant to improve working conditions for those subjected to harassment and discrimination. These demands include an end to mandatory arbitration, which forces complaining employees into extra-legal mediation rather than public court cases, revised recruiting, hiring, and promotion policies, pay rate transparency, and the hiring of a third-party organization to review the company’s reporting policy, HR department, and executive staff.

[LawBeefaroni]

Huge about-face from corporate leadership.

"Bobby" sent an open letter to employees. Still think he needs to go, though.

Shares are up a few points, rewarding this pivot. See, money talks. So do mass walkouts.

[Lorini]

Huge about-face from corporate leadership.

"Bobby" sent an open letter to employees. Still think he needs to go, though.

Shares are up a few points, rewarding this pivot. See, money talks. So do mass walkouts.

The only way he's leaving (even if we boycott and scream and yell) is if shareholders force him out. Of course walkouts and boycotts could encourage shareholders to do that. I'm waiting for them to actually fire the people named in the lawsuit as well as the person who made the tone deaf statement in the first place. Saying the statement was tone deaf implies that they in fact will settle with California, but we'll see.

[Blackhawk]

It's something, although the extensive 'This is just talk, and we may change our minds' disclaimer dampens it quite a bit.

Also:

I have asked the law firm WilmerHale to conduct a review of our policies and procedures to ensure that we have and maintain best practices to promote a respectful and inclusive workplace.

Their policies might need a polish, but they aren't the main issue. I'd be willing to bet that 90% of everything that's been reported was already against policy. Policies are useless if they're not enforced. How about some third-party observers? The only thing that a policy revamp could really do (which the rest of the letter may or may not be suggesting) is empowering or implementing new personnel/departments to specifically counter this stuff. Of course, the problem remains - if you do misdeeds, but the investigator works for you...

Policies don't matter.

Promises don't matter.

Actions matter.

[Zaxxon]

Employees aren't buying it.

On the evening before our employee walkout, Activision Blizzard leadership released a statement apologizing for their harmful responses to last week’s DFEH lawsuit. While we are pleased to see that our collective voices — including an open letter with thousands of signatures from current employees — have convinced leadership to change the tone of their communications, this response fails to address critical elements at the heart of employee concerns.

Activision Blizzard’s response did not address the following:

The end of forced arbitration for all employees.

Worker participation in oversight of hiring and promotion policies.

The need for greater pay transparency to ensure equality.

Employee selection of a third party to audit HR and other company processes.

Today’s walkout will demonstrate that this is not a one-time event that our leaders can ignore. We will not return to silence; we will not be placated by the same processes that led us to this point.

This is the beginning of an enduring movement in favor of better labor conditions for all employees, especially women, in particular women of color and transgender women, nonbinary people, and other marginalized groups.

We expect a prompt response and a commitment to action from leadership on the points enumerated above, and look forward to maintaining a constructive dialogue on how to build a better Activision Blizzard for all employees.

Today, we stand up for change. Tomorrow and beyond, we will be the change.

[noxiousdog]

So, that Cosby suite thing is worse than you can imagine.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/kotaku.com ... 378762/amp

[Alefroth]

If the Cosby suite is from Blizzcon 2013, and the Cosby allegations came out in 2014, what exactly is their fascination with him?

edit: I see some allegations were floating around in 2013

[noxiousdog]

If the Cosby suite is from Blizzcon 2013, and the Cosby allegations came out in 2014, what exactly is their fascination with him?

edit: I see some allegations were floating around in 2013

Rumors had been floating around long before that. There were four investigations between 2000 and 2006.

[El Guapo]

I know this isn't the most important thing, but I still can't wrap my head around how you wind up with multiple references to "Bill Crosby" in a filing document. Did no one in the department know that it's Cosby??

[Chraolic]

I know this isn't the most important thing, but I still can't wrap my head around how you wind up with multiple references to "Bill Crosby" in a filing document. Did no one in the department know that it's Cosby??

Didn't the conviction get overturned in that court case? It's probably one of those "All similarities to any real persons are purely coincidential so we don't get ourselves sued for libel." type of situations, but everybody still knows what they're actually saying.

[gbasden]

I feel your reaction is over the top ND. I appreciate the passion, but you need to modulate it a bit

No, I really don't.

I have too many women close to me who have been abused. Not harassed, but abused. I have two daughters that I want to grow up in a world that has as close to 0 of this stuff as possible. You know this better than I do.

Pretending this will go away because it's illegal is like pretending racism will go away because it's illegal. The current president of Activision/Blizzard lost a lawsuit in 2010 for sexual harassment. What changed?

Hard concur. From experience it doesn't make waves until management has to explain significant financial losses.

[Lorini]

I know this isn't the most important thing, but I still can't wrap my head around how you wind up with multiple references to "Bill Crosby" in a filing document. Did no one in the department know that it's Cosby??

Didn't the conviction get overturned in that court case? It's probably one of those "All similarities to any real persons are purely coincidential so we don't get ourselves sued for libel." type of situations, but everybody still knows what they're actually saying.

They couldn't have been that smart.

[Lorini]

I feel your reaction is over the top ND. I appreciate the passion, but you need to modulate it a bit

No, I really don't.

I have too many women close to me who have been abused. Not harassed, but abused. I have two daughters that I want to grow up in a world that has as close to 0 of this stuff as possible. You know this better than I do.

Pretending this will go away because it's illegal is like pretending racism will go away because it's illegal. The current president of Activision/Blizzard lost a lawsuit in 2010 for sexual harassment. What changed?

Hard concur. From experience it doesn't make waves until management has to explain significant financial losses.

I'm not giving up a third of my retirement over this. That's what I was referring to specifically.

[Chraolic]

They couldn't have been that smart.

The State of California? Well, I have no prior experience with them so I guess I'll defer to your judgement.

[Lorini]

They couldn't have been that smart.

The State of California? Well, I have no prior experience with them so I guess I'll defer to your judgement.

I misunderstood you. Have no idea about the state office.

[noxiousdog]

I'm not giving up a third of my retirement over this. That's what I was referring to specifically.

How does this affect your retirement?

[Lorini]

I'm not giving up a third of my retirement over this. That's what I was referring to specifically.

How does this affect your retirement?

Being that a third of my retirement is in mutual funds and you said I should call shareholders and threaten to divest myself of them, that would be bad.

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

[Smoove_B]

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Activision / Blizzard hired a group of attorneys known for being union-busters to help them look over their corporate policies, so...great?

EDIT: here

[noxiousdog]

I'm not giving up a third of my retirement over this. That's what I was referring to specifically.

How does this affect your retirement?

Being that a third of my retirement is in mutual funds and you said I should call shareholders and threaten to divest myself of them, that would be bad.

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Ah. Not all mutual funds. Just the handful that I linked. Really only the Vanguard group would have much power in this regard. Also, you can threaten, but not follow through.

[Lorini]

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Activision / Blizzard hired a group of attorneys known for being union-busters to help them look over their corporate policies, so...great?

EDIT: here

Wow how stupid can you get. I better understand the employee response now. I supported it when I first read it of course but a couple of things were puzzling. Now I totally get it.

[LawBeefaroni]

I'm not giving up a third of my retirement over this. That's what I was referring to specifically.

How does this affect your retirement?

Being that a third of my retirement is in mutual funds and you said I should call shareholders and threaten to divest myself of them, that would be bad.

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Rebalance, not divest. Putting a voice behind your investments. It does make a difference.

[El Guapo]

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Activision / Blizzard hired a group of attorneys known for being union-busters to help them look over their corporate policies, so...great?

EDIT: here

FWIW this is kind of a weird article. Basically WilmerHale is a prestigious big law firm that's very expensive and accordingly represents large companies and wealthy individuals worldwide on a million different things. As far as I can tell they're mainly just inferring from WilmerHale representing Amazon in connection with its union campaign that WilmerHale is known specifically for union-busting, which I've never heard before.

WilmerHale by its nature generally doesn't represent the little guy, but saying that they're known specifically for union busting is not correct.

[LawBeefaroni]

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Activision / Blizzard hired a group of attorneys known for being union-busters to help them look over their corporate policies, so...great?

EDIT: here

FWIW this is kind of a weird article. Basically WilmerHale is a prestigious big law firm that's very expensive and accordingly represents large companies and wealthy individuals worldwide on a million different things. As far as I can tell they're mainly just inferring from WilmerHale representing Amazon in connection with its union campaign that WilmerHale is known specifically for union-busting, which I've never heard before.

WilmerHale by its nature generally doesn't represent the little guy, but saying that they're known specifically for union busting is not correct.

Yeah, it's a bit of a.stretch.

An executioner who has lopped off a hundred heads with an axe kills someone one time with a lamprey eel and suddenly they're the Lamprey Eel Executioner?

[Freyland]

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Activision / Blizzard hired a group of attorneys known for being union-busters to help them look over their corporate policies, so...great?

EDIT: here

FWIW this is kind of a weird article. Basically WilmerHale is a prestigious big law firm that's very expensive and accordingly represents large companies and wealthy individuals worldwide on a million different things. As far as I can tell they're mainly just inferring from WilmerHale representing Amazon in connection with its union campaign that WilmerHale is known specifically for union-busting, which I've never heard before.

WilmerHale by its nature generally doesn't represent the little guy, but saying that they're known specifically for union busting is not correct.

Yeah, it's a bit of a.stretch.

An executioner who has lopped off a hundred heads with an axe kills someone one time with a lamprey eel and suddenly they're the Lamprey Eel Executioner?

Actually, yes. In your example, they are the only one who did it, so why not?

[El Guapo]

Back on topic, does anyone know how yesterday went?

Activision / Blizzard hired a group of attorneys known for being union-busters to help them look over their corporate policies, so...great?

EDIT: here

FWIW this is kind of a weird article. Basically WilmerHale is a prestigious big law firm that's very expensive and accordingly represents large companies and wealthy individuals worldwide on a million different things. As far as I can tell they're mainly just inferring from WilmerHale representing Amazon in connection with its union campaign that WilmerHale is known specifically for union-busting, which I've never heard before.

WilmerHale by its nature generally doesn't represent the little guy, but saying that they're known specifically for union busting is not correct.

Yeah, it's a bit of a.stretch.

An executioner who has lopped off a hundred heads with an axe kills someone one time with a lamprey eel and suddenly they're the Lamprey Eel Executioner?

A backpacker is traveling through Ireland when it starts to rain. He decides to wait out the storm in a nearby pub. The only other person at the bar is an older man staring at his drink. After a few moments of silence the man turns to the backpacker and says in a thick Irish accent:

"You see this bar? I built this bar with my own bare hands. I cut down every tree and made the lumber myself. I toiled away through the wind and cold, but do they call me McGreggor the bar builder? No."

He continued "Do you see that stone wall out there? I built that wall with my own bare hands. I found every stone and placed them just right through the rain and the mud, but do they call me McGreggor the wall builder? No."

"Do ya see that pier out there on the lake? I built that pier with my own bare hands, driving each piling deep into ground so that it would last a lifetime. Do they call me McGreggor the pier builder? No."

"But ya fuck one goat.."

[LordMortis]

FWIW this is kind of a weird article. Basically WilmerHale is a prestigious big law firm that's very expensive and accordingly represents large companies and wealthy individuals worldwide on a million different things. As far as I can tell they're mainly just inferring from WilmerHale representing Amazon in connection with its union campaign that WilmerHale is known specifically for union-busting, which I've never heard before.

WilmerHale by its nature generally doesn't represent the little guy, but saying that they're known specifically for union busting is not correct.

I dunno. I inferred they were firm that is at the top of its game protecting itself against labor. I thought this link was pretty well on the mark for a company looking to protect the company through P&P not resolve employee grievance.

https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/solutions ... employment

[El Guapo]

FWIW this is kind of a weird article. Basically WilmerHale is a prestigious big law firm that's very expensive and accordingly represents large companies and wealthy individuals worldwide on a million different things. As far as I can tell they're mainly just inferring from WilmerHale representing Amazon in connection with its union campaign that WilmerHale is known specifically for union-busting, which I've never heard before.

WilmerHale by its nature generally doesn't represent the little guy, but saying that they're known specifically for union busting is not correct.

I dunno. I inferred they were firm that is at the top of its game protecting itself against labor. I thought this link was pretty well on the mark for a company looking to protect the company through P&P not resolve employee grievance.

https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/solutions ... employment

As a big expensive firm they will by nature almost always be representing large well-resourced corporations, and not on the side of unions or the little guy.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "P&P", but that labor and employment section basically just says that they do essentially everything related to labor and employment:

WilmerHale’s labor and employment team guides clients through the ever-changing web of local, state, national and international employment laws and regulations. We are consistently recognized for our practical perspective and preventative approach, which helps clients minimize liability so they can stay focused on their business objectives. Our practice spans four broad areas: general counseling; drafting of policies and contracts; employment law and performance management training; and litigation and alternative dispute resolution. We offer all levels of service for businesses of any size. Our accomplished attorneys provide day-to-day counseling and handle employment law claims in courts and administrative agencies across the United States, while our Human Resources Services Group—made up of skilled non-lawyer consultants—offers a range of cost-effective human resource business solutions for small and mid-sized companies often in tandem with our attorneys’ legal guidance.

Basically Activision Blizzard is saying that they brought in Wilmer Hale to review their policies to make sure that they're up to best practices (which is something that Wilmer does). Kotaku is saying that they're bringing them in to do union busting (which Wilmer can also do). But to say that bringing in Wilmer necessarily means union busting isn't right.

[LordMortis]

P&P = Policies and Procedures

You underscore some things I underscore others

WilmerHale’s labor and employment team guides clients through the ever-changing web of local, state, national and international employment laws and regulations. We are consistently recognized for our practical perspective and preventative approach, which helps clients minimize liability so they can stay focused on their business objectives....

...

We provide strategic advice on structuring the workforce, employment law compliance, traditional labor law, business restructuring, unfair competition, Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank and other whistleblower claims, executive employment agreements, and the employment aspects of business transactions. Our emphasis in our counseling and training is on positioning organizations to minimize both the likelihood of claims and potential liability. When we litigate, we do so vigorously and strategically, and have a proven track record of excellent results.

...

We regularly serve as day-to-day employment counselors for both regional and national clients on issues that run the gamut of employment law (e.g., hiring and firing, wage and hour, discrimination, leaves of absence, non-competition and other restrictive covenants, and structuring the workforce). We also advise on the legal implications of social media in hiring (background checks) and during employment, and help employers devise social media policies that make business sense for their organizations.

This will be phrased as benefit to employees. It always is.

The more I I cogitate, the more socialist I feel, the more ND's suggestion of having board members representing labor sounds like right steering. Though, I'm not sure how that would work. I wasn't taking it in stride until I see how adversarial I tend to see corporate actions as labor.

[El Guapo]

This has probably gone on too long relative to the importance of the issue, BUT the point is just that Wilmer does substantially everything, including almost all aspects of Labor and Employment law. Kotaku made it sound like Activision brought in a firm known specifically for union busting. They didn't. Wilmer does do union busting, and maybe that's what they're going to have them do here, but the fact that they hired Wilmer as opposed to one of a half dozen other large law firms doesn't mean what Kotaku thinks it means.

[noxiousdog]

The more I I cogitate, the more socialist I feel, the more ND's suggestion of having board members representing labor sounds like right steering. Though, I'm not sure how that would work. I wasn't taking it in stride until I see how adversarial I tend to see corporate actions as labor.

It's simple (not really). 20% of the board of directors is reserved for employee representation. Not enough for them to control the company, but plenty for them to have influence.

It is interesting. My lady, who did international banking training, says the German Works Council is the hardest government entity to deal with. Yet, German productivity ranks 5th in the world. They manage that with very beneficial employee rights. Maybe it's in the culture though.

[Paingod]

This strikes me as justification to continue playing. So what if just toxic players remain? It will die a quick death and that's that. Should I still bank at Wells Fargo because they have ethical tellers and branch managers trying to do right by their customers? When corporate leadership continues to profit on unethical practices?

This is my problem too. I have very few recent Activition titles, and zero Blizzard titles since WarCraft 3 came out. I'm fine with cutting the number to zero.

Supporting the employees is great. Were I an employee working for this company, I'd be jumping ship. Riding it out and hoping the culture changed wouldn't be high on my to-do list. Corporate culture is incredibly hard to change without just setting fire to the whole thing. This isn't going to look good on a resume, senior executive or junior developer ... "So, Bill, tell me about these Cube Crawls you did..." but I think the faster you get out, the less it sticks to you because it's clear you don't endorse it. I can't imagine they're going to get a lot of new female employees for a while, unless there's one or two out there hoping to score on a sexual harassment lawsuit. I don't think they're going to get a lot of male employees who care about women's rights and concerns.

So they'll have the toxic executives that fostered this attitude, the toxic employees who participated, the ethically lax new-hires who don't mind, a smattering of people who haven't escaped yet, the toxic players who don't care - and the handful of players who want to try and help the innocent employees - but end up supporting everyone else at the same time.

The math on that doesn't jive for me, but I understand that my views aren't the only ones or maybe even the most enlightened.

[Lorini]

All the video game companies that pay anything have this issue. Riot's been successfully sued, Ubisoft has admitted to it, the other bigger companies are in Europe. Where are they going to go??? I'm sure Epic is probably a walking time bomb as well. It's an industry wide problem.

[noxiousdog]

All the video game companies that pay anything have this issue. Riot's been successfully sued, Ubisoft has admitted to it, the other bigger companies are in Europe. Where are they going to go??? I'm sure Epic is probably a walking time bomb as well. It's an industry wide problem.

It's almost like the employees have no bargaining power, laws don't work, and consumers need to hold them accountable

[LawBeefaroni]

All the video game companies that pay anything have this issue. Riot's been successfully sued, Ubisoft has admitted to it, the other bigger companies are in Europe. Where are they going to go??? I'm sure Epic is probably a walking time bomb as well. It's an industry wide problem.

It's almost like the employees have no bargaining power, laws don't work, and consumers need to hold them accountable

The laws work. As intended, anyway.

[Lorini]

All the video game companies that pay anything have this issue. Riot's been successfully sued, Ubisoft has admitted to it, the other bigger companies are in Europe. Where are they going to go??? I'm sure Epic is probably a walking time bomb as well. It's an industry wide problem.

It's almost like the employees have no bargaining power, laws don't work, and consumers need to hold them accountable

They should clearly unionize but the Trumpers stop all that. I don't think relying on consumers to hold them accountable has ever worked. Noting that the only Blizz games I play are Hearthstone where I haven't spent any money in two years and Diablo 3 which offers nothing to buy.

[noxiousdog]

They should clearly unionize but the Trumpers stop all that. I don't think relying on consumers to hold them accountable has ever worked. Noting that the only Blizz games I play are Hearthstone where I haven't spent any money in two years and Diablo 3 which offers nothing to buy.

I'm not sure how unionizing helps. This is bad employees creating horrible life for other employees. I mean, management is involved, and in many cases are culprits, but most of the harassment charges would be filed against people in the union. The union would protect the aggressors; not the victims.

It could standardize pay, I suppose, but in all my years in IT, the people who wanted standard pay were in the minimum.

[Daehawk]

https://www.bluesnews.com/s/239196/acti ... on-twitter

Finding herself in a hole, former Homeland Security Advisor and current Activision Blizzard CCO Frances Townsend continues to dig. After criticism from both inside and outside the company for her response to the Activision Blizzard lawsuit, she offers this tweet. It points to an article on The Atlantic on "the Problem With Whistleblowing." Or, as it's more commonly put, snitches get stitches. This is going down about as well as could be expected, and Jason Schreier points out on Twitter that it has led to the unusual situation of the company officer blocking company employees on Twitter

[Skinypupy]

Wow, she is a uniquely terrible person.

[noxiousdog]

And yet... she's still employed.

[Daehawk]

Someone in the comments posted this.......

This person was in Government during the Bush era. Made excuses to enhanced interrogation methods. IE: Torture. Which the Bush era government freely did. So this is a second well known, actual blood on their hands, Conservative crony working at Acti-blizz. And Kotick is a Libertarian which in reality means nothing more then a Rich sociopath. And not to forget some Trump administration goon also got a high ranking position as well recently.

So are all conservatives just cronys?