In late September, all of Keywords Studios’ unionized Quality Assurance (QA) workers were laid off after BioWare, the developer of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, chose not to continue its contract. The 16 eligible QA workers had voted in favor of joining United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union, Local No. 401, making them the first games industry union in Canada. The layoffs occurred during bargaining between Keywords Studios and the workers, following BioWare’s announcement of 50 job cuts. The union has filed an employment standards complaint against Keywords Studios and is disputing the minimal severance offered.
Keywords Studios, which provides development support services for other studios, has its headquarters in Ireland and over 20 worldwide offices. The studio does not develop or publish its own games. The laid-off workers, although they did not have a contract with Keywords Studios, can negotiate for better severance pay. The union’s complaint and dispute over severance pay are separate from the lawsuits filed by BioWare employees who were laid off during the same period and are also seeking adequate severance.
In response to the layoffs, Keywords Studios’ global head of marketing confirmed that 13 Edmonton-based QA workers had left the company at the end of the fixed term client contract. The company cited the lack of available work as the reason for the layoffs. The unionized workers have the opportunity to explore new job opportunities, negotiate severance pay, and pursue legal action against Keywords Studios.
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