Unionized EA staffers are not happy about that proposed Saudi-backed acquisition

EA employees involved with the Communications Workers of America union have issued a sternly-worded statement against the recently-proposed private acquisition of the company by Saudi-backed investors, according to a report by Eurogamer. The complaints don't involve Saudi Arabia's long history of human rights violations, but rather that workers weren't represented in any negotiations for the $55 billion deal.

The employees worry that any jobs lost as a result of the purchase would "be a choice, not a necessity, made to pad investors' pockets." In addition to this formal response, unionized workers have issued a petition that urges regulators to scrutinize the deal.

"EA is not a struggling company," the statement reads, going on to note that the company's success has been driven by workers. "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 calls out the huge number of layoffs that have impacted the industry in recent years. Unionized staffers note that "every time private equity or billionaire investors take a studio private, workers lose visibility, transparency and power."

"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 reads. "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."

Eurogamer reached out to the FTC to inquire about the status of the proposed acquisition but the agency refused to comment on the grounds that it doesn't speak about "pending mergers or acquisitions." It's worth noting that President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is involved with the purchase. The Financial Times recently suggested that the deal won't face any real opposition, as "what regulator is going to say no to the president's son-in-law?"

As previously noted, the proposed deal is valued at $55 billion. This would take the company private for the first time in its 35-year history. Various entities have partnered to make this deal, including the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake and Kushner's Affinity Partners. US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have also voiced concerns about this acquisition. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/unionized-ea-staffers-are-not-happy-about-that-proposed-saudi-backed-acquisition-155559256.html?src=rss