Riot Games employees prepared to walkout

According to various reports, Rioters are preparing to walk off the job as a protest towards the higher management at Riot games. Earlier in the week, it was revealed by insiders that Riot games were trying to execute policies which will prevent employees from seeking legal action against them following the earlier scandal regarding sexual harassment and discrimination.

© Riot Games

“I know yesterday’s article about Riot’s motion to compel arbitration feels like we’re not moving forward. And I have to say for me, it demonstrates we still have work to do. There are pros, cons, and nuances to the discussion of arbitration, especially given the active litigation against Riot. It can be complex so these types of topics are best discussed live where it’s easier to have a conversation. I encourage all of you to ask as many questions in this Thursday’s Unplugged, and our promise to you is we will be as transparent as we possibly can.” – Angela Roseboro, Riot’s Chief Diversity Officer

As response to the earlier claims of sexism, Riot fervently apologized both internally and to the wider community due to its poor corporate culture and would be making efforts to both eliminate it and to be more transparent. Unfortunately, their recent reported actions pressuring staff to settle these issues through arbitration completely contrasts this promise for transparency, as it would likely silence employees. One Rioter mentioned there had been talks to take action initially when the scandal broke out, however, Riot’s recent actions have further fuelled employees to walkout.

Higher management at Riot are currently aware of the proposed walkout, and are urging for “small group sessions”, to “have more candid dialogue”. While this is a good step in the right direction with Riot quickly responding to employee concerns, Riot’s action leading up to this is certainly in poor taste.

How is Riot pressuring employees away from legal action?

Riot has intended to pressure employees into taking arbitration instead of traditional lawsuits which involves the courts. They have done this through a reported clause within all Riot employee contracts that states conflict must be solved through arbitration. If you are questioning the legality of such clauses, the Supreme Court recently upheld employer rights to include such clauses, essentially stripping power away from the employees to take civil legal action.