Unions in the tech industry are a hot-button issue and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. Amazon’s anti-unionization efforts are the most widely known, with Activision Blizzard also having just faced its own union dispute. However, tech and gaming giant Microsoft has so far avoided any direct controversies.
Recent statements from Microsoft’s gaming division already indicated that the company is hoping to avoid an openly antagonistic relationship with any current or future tech unions. That sentiment has now been mirrored by the rest of the company, with President Brad Smith pledging to cooperate with unions organized by their employees.
“Our employees will never need to organize to have a dialogue with Microsoft’s leaders,” Smith said in a blog post earlier today. However, he recognized that cultural and technological changes are altering how people think about the way they work and their relationships with their employers. He also noted that unionization campaigns are likely to continue, and it’s only a matter of time until Microsoft employees begin organizing as well. Thus, the company’s management has decided to take proactive steps to create a more constructive relationship between Microsoft and labor unions. “We’re not asking our employees to go form a union,” Smith told a reporter from Axios, “but we will meet people where they are at.”
Smith’s blog post laid out the two primary factors that guided Microsoft’s thinking. The first is that Microsoft acknowledges it only has limited experience interacting with unions. Xbox head Phil Spencer previously said something similar regarding Raven Software, which recently became the first AAA studio to officially unionize. The second factor was Microsoft’s belief that what works for other companies may not work for it. Smith believes that Microsoft and its employees can work together to deal with important issues while learning from labor, business, and academic leaders.
The post goes on to list the four principles that will dictate the company’s approach from now on. The first is that Microsoft believes in maintaining an open-door policy and listening to employees’ concerns. The second is that the company recognizes its employee’s legal right to unionize. Furthermore, Microsoft is “committed to creative and collaborative approaches with unions” and says it will help employees make informed decisions about if and how they wish to organize. The final bullet point was Microsoft’s determination to maintain a close relationship with all employees and build upon its existing experience with labor organizations in Europe.
Smith’s statements are not totally out of left field for Microsoft. Last month, Phil Spencer announced that Microsoft would recognize Raven Software’s union once it completes its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The positions Smith expressed in his blog post are arguably a logical extension of that policy. Hopefully, Microsoft will live up to its stated goals.