Microsoft Not Opposed To Unionization

Microsoft Corp.'s President Brad Smith has indicated that the company will not oppose employee unionization attempts, signaling a shift in the computer sector's attitude toward organized labor, Reuters reported.

Photo Insert: Microsoft President Brad Smith

Microsoft recognizes employees' legal right to choose to form or join a union, although they "will never need to organize to have a dialogue" with leaders, Smith said in a blog post on Thursday.

The remark comes in the wake of recent employee protests at several technology businesses.

Last month, a small group of employees at Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty" video game studio, which is being acquired by Microsoft, decided to unionize. Activision responded by saying that 19 employees should not be permitted to make decisions that affect a broader group of employees.

Amazon.com Inc, on the other hand, has long blocked efforts by its warehouse workers to form unions and was recently accused of threatening employees over a union vote.

"Recent unionization campaigns across the country — including in the tech sector — have led us to conclude that inevitably these issues will touch on more businesses, potentially including our own," Smith said.

Microsoft does not believe that employees or other stakeholders will benefit by resisting lawful efforts to participate in activities like unionization, he added.

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