The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada Union, Local No. 401 applied with the Alberta Labour Relations Board to become the “certified bargaining agent” for staff “employed in development support” at BioWare’s office. (The Verge)

Talking point: Keyword Studios helps its clients with game development, art and other services. It has studios in Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and North America, including several in Canada. The employees who may unionize work out of BioWare’s Edmonton office, which was started in 1995 and helped create Anthem, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Electronic Arts acquired BioWare in 2008. UFCW needs at least 40 per cent of the employees to support unionization before it can move to a secret ballot representation vote. None of the companies immediately responded to The Logic’s request for comment. Large game studios such as Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard have recently faced allegations of poor workplace conditions, and Vodeo Games created the first video-game union last December.