Unionized employees at Electronic Arts (EA), affiliated with the Communications Workers of America, have issued a formal statement opposing a proposed private acquisition of the company, citing a lack of worker representation during deal negotiations.
The group’s primary objection is not the human rights record of the Saudi-backed investors involved in the $55 billion deal, but rather the absence of their input in the negotiation process. The employees stated concerns that any job losses following the purchase would “be a choice, not a necessity, made to pad investors’ pockets.” In addition to the statement, the union has launched a petition that urges regulators to closely examine the acquisition.
“EA is not a struggling company,” the statement reads, noting that the company’s success is driven by its workforce. “Yet we, the very people who will be jeopardized as a result of this deal, were not represented at all when this buyout was negotiated or discussed.” The statement highlights a history of layoffs within the industry and asserts that “every time private equity or billionaire investors take a studio private, workers lose visibility, transparency and power.”
The union is urging government action to protect its members. “We are calling on regulators and elected officials to scrutinize this deal and ensure that any path forward protects jobs, preserves creative freedom and keeps decision-making accountable to the workers who make EA successful,” the statement continues. “The value of video games is in their workers. As a unified voice, we, the members of the industry-wide video game workers’ union UVW-CWA, are standing together and refusing to let corporate greed decide the future of our industry.”
The proposed $55 billion deal would take EA private for the first time in its 35-year history. The key parties backing the acquisition are the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, a firm founded by Jared Kushner.
When contacted for comment, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) declined to speak on the proposed acquisition, citing its policy of not discussing “pending mergers or acquisitions.” The Financial Times reported that the deal is unlikely to face significant opposition, quoting a source who asked, “what regulator is going to say no to the president’s son-in-law?” U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have also voiced concerns about the acquisition.
