Activision Blizzard, one of the biggest game developers, have rejected the proposal from labor unions about workforce diversification. According to a report from Vice.com, Activision claimed that the practice is deemed “unworkable.”

At the start of the year, AFL-CIO, the country's largest labor federation submitted their proposal, indicating that Activision Blizzard and EA should include women and people of color in their pool of potential candidates. Their proposals were based on the National Football League's “Rooney Rule,” which states that teams competing in the NFL should interview at least a non-white candidate for coaching jobs. This was later expanded to include women and other marginalized members of society.

They believed that this approach will improve workforce diversification especially in the gaming industry. According to some accounts from unions, the gaming industry is notorious for these cases.

Blizzard Activision have expressed their response to this request, stating that the company has always valued diversity as most of their talent come from varying backgrounds. They even mentioned the importance of diversity as it allowed the company to produce the best games.

In addition, they mentioned their programs namely the United Negro College Fund and Equal Justice Initiative that enhances workforce talent. These programs provide an opportunity for students to learn from the company, which in turn can be a stepping stone for their careers.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)

They concluded that the AFL-CIO's proposal would limit their hiring decisions in attaining talent in a highly competitive industry.

The AFL-CIO have always voiced their concerns with regards to discrimination. They were able to successfully convince a lot of US companies which included Amazon, JP Morgan, and Bank of America. This proposal however is legally non-binding, which means that it cannot be enforced by the law.