Microsoft’s Union-Neutral Deal Spurs Video Game Organizing Wave

Microsoft Corp.‘s union-friendly stance has opened the door for organizing among online gaming studios nationwide in what legal observers say is a model for other companies looking to establish better relationships with organized labor.

Microsoft’s deal last year with the Communications Workers of America to remain neutral during unionization campaigns at Activision Blizzard Inc.—which the tech giant is vying to acquire—is a friendlier approach to worker organizing than many large corporations take.

The agreement led CWA, which had been vocally critical of the acquisition bid, to endorse the $69 billion deal as it faces a ...