ZeniMax Union secures Juneteenth holiday for all ZeniMax staff

Negotiations between the ZeniMax Workers Union and Microsoft have led to all employees under the ZeniMax banner getting to take Juneteenth off as an additional vacation day.

The CWA-backed union added that contractors transitioning to full-time work will also benefit from Juneteeth as a paid day off after the agreement becomes ratified. Furthermore, Christmas Eve has also been reinstated as a paid holiday for union members.

"Recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday was a priority for our union members," wrote ZWU member Veronica Martinez. "That’s what having a union is all about: taking collective action to improve our workplace."

Now that it has Juneteenth off, staff at ZeniMax's Austin office will hold a celebration on June 19. Additionally, ZWU members in Rockville, Maryland will hold a rally that same day in collaboration with CWA president Claude Cummings, Jr.

The ZeniMax Workers Union has been putting the work in

Formed at the start of 2023, the ZWU consists of hundreds of QA workers across ZeniMax's Texas and Maryland offices. Along with the contractor deal, the union also has control over how AI is used in a project's development, and fall under Microsoft and Activision Blizzard's labor neutrality agreement.

Members of the ZWU were unaffected by Microsoft's May reductions at Bethesda studios like Tango Gameworks and Alpha Dog Games. However, senior tester (and union member) Zach Lyon called out the parent company for those cuts.

"Every video game worker deserves not only their fair share, but also the peace of mind that comes from having a say over the impact of job cuts," said Lyon at the time. "Where is the respect and compassion from Microsoft?"