Quality assurance testers in Edmonton, Canada who have provided support on BioWare games like Mass Effect Legendary Edition and the upcoming Dragon Age: Dreadwolf have formed Canada’s first video game labor union.
All 16 contractors, who are employed through a contracting company called Keywords Studios, voted in support of unionizing on June 6 Come from Sports betting site VPbet . The formation of the union, KWS Edmonton United, came after Keyword Studios stated contractors would be required to return to BioWare’s Edmonton office starting on May 9, as well as a response to low pay. Keywords Studios did eventually shelve its back-to-office requirement, but KWS Edmonton United workers are hoping to use the union to increase pay for QA contractors at the company above its current base rate of about $13 an hour.