Tag Archives: Employment & Career

Xbox is hosting a partner showcase on October 17 at 1PM ET

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Here's a little something to liven up the week in gamerland: Xbox is hosting a third-party games showcase on Thursday, October 17 at 1PM ET. A 4K, 60 fps stream will be available on YouTube in English with live subtitles in 16 other languages (Xbox will add subtitles for more languages after the fact). The Xbox channel will have versions of the show with audio description and American Sign Language (ASL). A British Sign Language version will be available on the Xbox On channel. You'll also be able to watch the stream in English and ASL on Twitch, as well as on, uh, LinkedIn. 

The Partner Preview stream will run for around 25 minutes and it will include more than a dozen trailers from Xbox's partners. You'll get a look at the next Alan Wake 2 expansion (The Lake House), Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gameplay and some bosses in a Soulslike called Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Xbox is also promising some new game reveals along with release date announcements. As you'd expect, many of these titles will be coming to Game Pass in one form or another.

Xbox is ending the year with a reasonably packed slate of first-party games, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle yet to come. Still, it's always nice to see platform holders shine the spotlight on games from third-party publishers and developers. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-is-hosting-a-partner-showcase-on-october-17-at-1pm-et-174034491.html?src=rss

Games Done Quick will hold a fundraiser for people affected by Hurricane Helene next week

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Games Done Quick, the organization that organizes charity game marathons featuring high-level speedrunners, has just announced its latest fundraiser. The group will hold an event called Disaster Relief Done Quick in support of the humanitarian nonprofit Direct Relief to aid those affected by Hurricane Helene, it announced in a tweet and press release. 

"Hurricane Helene [was] a life-threatening Category 4 hurricane that has left over 200 dead, millions without power and caused significant flooding and evacuations in the US Southeast," Games Done Quick wrote. "Disaster Relief Done Quick will begin on October 11 at 6PM EDT and conclude on October 13 at 11:59 PM EDT." 

If you're interested in watching you can do so at GDQ's Twitch channel. Multiple speedrunners and streamers have already submitted runs across games including Zelda: Four Swords, The Sims 4 and Tony's Hawk's Pro Skater series. 

Past GDQ events have raised large sums for charity, including the Awesome Games Done Quick 2024 which brought in $2.5 million for cancer research and Summer Games Done Quick 2024 ($2.55 million for Doctors Without Borders). Back in 2017, the organization raised $225,000 for Hurricane Harvey. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/games-done-quick-will-hold-a-fundraiser-for-people-affected-by-hurricane-helene-next-week-120010369.html?src=rss

Apple Store employees in Oklahoma City ratify their first union contract

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Employees at an Apple Store in Oklahoma City's Penn Square Mall have voted to ratify their first collectively-bargained contract. The store's workers are part of the Communications Workers of America, operating as Apple Retail Union-CWA Local 6016. The employees' three-year agreement with Apple includes the following, according to a press release from CWA:

  • "Wage increases of up to 11.5% over the next three years."

  • "Worker involvement in scheduling and guaranteed paid time off to vote."

  • "A safer and more democratic workplace with a grievance and arbitration process and the establishment of joint Safety and Health and Working Relations committees."

  • "Job protection in the event of a store closure or relocation and severance pay."

  • "Guaranteed paid time off, health and other benefits."

It's worth pointing out that though the CWA press release says the wage increases are "of up to 11.5 percent over the next three years," Apple has said that this number is actually an average 10 percent increase over three years instead.

An Apple spokesperson said “At Apple, we work hard to provide an excellent experience for our team members and our customers. We have always paid our retail teams in the top tier of the market and we provide exceptional benefits for all full- and part-time employees. Throughout this process, we have bargained in good faith and this agreement allows Penn Square team members to enjoy similar performance-based wage increases this year as last year, along with the same medical and time away benefits our U.S. retail employees currently receive.”

Apple also shared more details around compensation and wages like how the tentative agreement provides an average 10 percent increase over 3 years. Penn Square Mall employees will also be able to participate in the scheduling options that were provided to all other US stores in 2022, and held to the same availability guidelines as the rest of the fleet with no exceptions. PSQ members will receive the same medical and time off benefits as all US team members, and subject to the same documented coaching, discipline and misconduct practices that apply across all of Apple's US stores.

Apple's spokesperson also said the agreement includes the creation of a safety committee at the PSQ location, like the one at all its other stores. A working relations committee, made up of two representatives from the union and two from the company, will meet twice a year.

Today's news caps off years of preparation to unionize and secure a contract for the Penn Square Mall Apple Store, which began organizing in early 2022. The parties reached a tentative agreement in early September after a unanimous strike authorization vote in August and a store picket.

The Oklahoma City employees are the second group of Apple retail workers to reach a contract through their union. An Apple Store in Maryland was the first of the tech company's retail stores to unionize, joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in June 2022.

Update, September 25 2024, 4:55PM ET: This story has been updated to include Apple's statement as well as details the company's spokesperson shared. We also clarified that there's a discrepancy between what the CWA press release says is the percentage for wage increase over the next three years and what Apple says it is.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-store-employees-in-oklahoma-city-ratify-their-first-union-contract-190218680.html?src=rss

Apple Store employees in Oklahoma City ratify their first union contract

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Employees at an Apple Store in Oklahoma City's Penn Square Mall have voted to ratify their first collectively-bargained contract. The store's workers are part of the Communications Workers of America, operating as Apple Retail Union-CWA Local 6016. The employees' three-year agreement with Apple includes the following, according to a press release from CWA:

  • "Wage increases of up to 11.5% over the next three years."

  • "Worker involvement in scheduling and guaranteed paid time off to vote."

  • "A safer and more democratic workplace with a grievance and arbitration process and the establishment of joint Safety and Health and Working Relations committees."

  • "Job protection in the event of a store closure or relocation and severance pay."

  • "Guaranteed paid time off, health and other benefits."

It's worth pointing out that though the CWA press release says the wage increases are "of up to 11.5 percent over the next three years," Apple has said that this number is actually an average 10 percent increase over three years instead.

An Apple spokesperson said “At Apple, we work hard to provide an excellent experience for our team members and our customers. We have always paid our retail teams in the top tier of the market and we provide exceptional benefits for all full- and part-time employees. Throughout this process, we have bargained in good faith and this agreement allows Penn Square team members to enjoy similar performance-based wage increases this year as last year, along with the same medical and time away benefits our U.S. retail employees currently receive.”

Apple also shared more details around compensation and wages like how the tentative agreement provides an average 10 percent increase over 3 years. Penn Square Mall employees will also be able to participate in the scheduling options that were provided to all other US stores in 2022, and held to the same availability guidelines as the rest of the fleet with no exceptions. PSQ members will receive the same medical and time off benefits as all US team members, and subject to the same documented coaching, discipline and misconduct practices that apply across all of Apple's US stores.

Apple's spokesperson also said the agreement includes the creation of a safety committee at the PSQ location, like the one at all its other stores. A working relations committee, made up of two representatives from the union and two from the company, will meet twice a year.

Today's news caps off years of preparation to unionize and secure a contract for the Penn Square Mall Apple Store, which began organizing in early 2022. The parties reached a tentative agreement in early September after a unanimous strike authorization vote in August and a store picket.

The Oklahoma City employees are the second group of Apple retail workers to reach a contract through their union. An Apple Store in Maryland was the first of the tech company's retail stores to unionize, joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in June 2022.

Update, September 25 2024, 4:55PM ET: This story has been updated to include Apple's statement as well as details the company's spokesperson shared. We also clarified that there's a discrepancy between what the CWA press release says is the percentage for wage increase over the next three years and what Apple says it is.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-store-employees-in-oklahoma-city-ratify-their-first-union-contract-190218680.html?src=rss

Perennial Order is a stunning 2D Soulslike filled with plant monsters that’ll kill you in one hit

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Indie developer Gardenfiend Games just released a gorgeous plant horror game that its team describes as “Hollow Knight meets Titan Souls.” Perennial Order, which dropped on September 6 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, is a 2D boss rush game that pulls inspiration from Dark Souls, Princess Mononoke, and the art style of Magic: The Gathering. Its protagonist is an undead knight with a pitcher plant for a head (or maybe it’s a helmet?) and a stinger grafted onto one arm, and the hostile world it’s set in is crawling with plant-infested monsters. Needless to say, I downloaded it immediately.

You can play Perennial Order solo or with a friend — it offers both local and online co-op, with cross-platform support. There are 15 bosses to face, and with one-hit-death combat, your every move is critical. Thankfully, you respawn close to where you died, because you’ll probably be doing a lot of that with some enemies.

I’ve spent a little bit of time with Perennial Order this weekend, and it is really captivating. The environment and music are beautiful, creating an atmosphere that’s wonderfully bleak as you explore between boss fights and piece together the lore through interactions with talkative NPCs. I love a good plant horror, and Perennial Order does not disappoint. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/perennial-order-is-a-stunning-2d-soulslike-filled-with-plant-monsters-thatll-kill-you-in-one-hit-203121605.html?src=rss

An Apple Store in Oklahoma City is close to approving an union agreement for its workers

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Talks between Apple and the union for the Apple Store in Oklahoma City have produced a tentative agreement that includes new benefits and protections for its staff. The Penn Square Mall Apple Store in Oklahoma City announced they’ve reached a “tentative labor agreement” with Apple and the Communication Workers of America (CWA), according to a released statement.

Terms are still being negotiated between both parties but the benefits for the store’s employees would be significant. The three-year agreement reached between the CWA and Apple would give employees a wage increase of up to 11.5 percent. An Apple spokesperson said by email that if the contract is ratified, employees would receive a 4 percent raise in the first year of employment and 3 percent in the second and third year each “based on employee performance.”

The agreement would also offer employees guaranteed paid time off and health and other benefits, allow employees to have a say in scheduling and the establishment of a “safer and more democratic workplace” through a grievance submission process with committees overseeing safety, health and working relations. An Apple spokesperson also noted the scheduling options “were provided to all other US stores in 2022.”

The Oklahoma City Apple Store had been working to form a union since 2022, becoming the second Apple Store in the US to unionize. Employees passed a strike authorization vote in August that passed with unanimous support and started a picket in front of the store ahead of bargaining sessions in early September. Workers will vote to ratify the tentative agreement on September 22.

CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase called the agreement achievement “a historic day for our members who have now secured a contract at the world’s most profitable company.”

The Apple Store in the Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland became the first location to unionize. Members approved the union in 2022 with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). A store in the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia tried to form a union in 2022 with the CWA but workers called it off accusing Apple of committing “repeated violations of the National Labor Relations Act.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/an-apple-store-in-oklahoma-city-is-close-to-approving-an-union-agreement-for-its-workers-222605021.html?src=rss

Apple has reached a contract agreement with unionized US retail employees for the first time

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Apple and the unionized employees at its Towson, Maryland retail store have reached a tentative agreement that could secure them better pay, job protections, scheduling improvements to support a work-life balance and a more transparent disciplinary process. The Towson location in 2022 became the first Apple Store in the country to unionize, and back in May, it voted to authorize a strike against the company after “unsatisfactory” negotiation outcomes.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) said it’s been negotiating with Apple since January 2023. Under the tentative three-year agreement they’ve now reached, workers would be given average raises of 10 percent over the life of the contract, and starting pay rates for most positions would go up. The agreement would also establish a severance clause. The union represents about 85 employees, who will get to vote on the agreement on August 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-has-reached-a-union-contract-with-us-retail-employees-for-the-first-time-212422613.html?src=rss

Apple has reached a contract agreement with unionized US retail employees for the first time

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Apple and the unionized employees at its Towson, Maryland retail store have reached a tentative agreement that could secure them better pay, job protections, scheduling improvements to support a work-life balance and a more transparent disciplinary process. The Towson location in 2022 became the first Apple Store in the country to unionize, and back in May, it voted to authorize a strike against the company after “unsatisfactory” negotiation outcomes.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) said it’s been negotiating with Apple since January 2023. Under the tentative three-year agreement they’ve now reached, workers would be given average raises of 10 percent over the life of the contract, and starting pay rates for most positions would go up. The agreement would also establish a severance clause. The union represents about 85 employees, who will get to vote on the agreement on August 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-has-reached-a-union-contract-with-us-retail-employees-for-the-first-time-212422613.html?src=rss

‘Patreon is giving creators more tools to attract free subscribers

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Patreon is continuing its push to expand beyond its roots as a paid membership platform. The company, which added new chat features and free membership options last year, is giving creators more ways to interact with their fans even if they aren’t paying subscribers.

The company says its creators have already seen more than 30 million sign-ups for free memberships, which allow fans to get updates and follow the work of creators and artists they like without committing to a monthly subscription. Now, creators will also be able to add non-paying members to Patreon’s Discord-like chats. Additionally, creators will be able to offer a live chat and custom countdown timer to tease new work.

For fans who aren’t yet paying for a membership, Patreon will add the ability for creators to sell access to past posts and collections so people will have a way to access previously paywalled content without committing to a recurring subscription. (The company added one-time purchases for digital products like podcast episodes last year.) Creators will also have the ability to offer limited-time gift subscriptions to fans.

patreon countdowns
Patreon

For Patreon, the changes are meant to help creators become less reliant on platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok where engagement and views are often dependent on another company’s algorithm. At a time when platforms’ payouts to creators are reportedly dwindling — The Wall Street Journal reported last week that making a living as a creator has gotten significantly harder over the last year as dedicated creator funds shrink — Patreon is spinning its platform as place where creators can connect with their “real fans” and actually make money.

“Creators want a place where people can sign up to see their future work… and then actually see it,” the company explains in a blog post. “They don’t want to keep chasing likes or follower counts in a constantly changing system they have no control over.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/patreon-is-giving-creators-more-tools-to-attract-free-subscribers-130049968.html?src=rss

Snap will pay $15 million to settle California lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination

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The California Civil Rights Department has revealed that Snap Inc. has agreed to pay $15 million to settle the lawsuit it filed "over alleged discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against women at the company." California's civil rights agency started investigating the company behind Snapchat over three years ago due to claims that it discriminated and retaliated against female employees. The agency accused the company of failing the make sure that female employees were paid equally despite a period of rapid growth between 2015 to 2022. 

Women, especially those in engineering roles, were allegedly discouraged to apply for promotions and lost them to less qualified male colleagues when they did. The agency said that they also had to endure unwelcome sexual advances and faced retaliation when they spoke up. Female employees were given negative performance reviews, were denied opportunities and, ultimately, were terminated.

"In California, we’re proud of the work of our state’s innovators who are a driving force of our nation’s economy," CRD Director Kevin Kish said in a statement. "We're also proud of the strength of our state’s civil rights laws, which help ensure every worker is protected against discrimination and has an opportunity to thrive. This settlement with Snapchat demonstrates a shared commitment to a California where all workers have a fair chance at the American Dream. Women are entitled to equality in every job, in every workplace, and in every industry."

Snapchat denies that the company has an issue with pay inequality and sexual discrimination. In a statement sent to Politico and Bloomberg, it says it only decided to settle due to the costs and impact of a lengthy litigation. "We care deeply about our commitment to maintain a fair and inclusive environment at Snap, and do not believe we have any ongoing systemic pay equity, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation issues against women. While we disagreed with the California Civil Rights Department's claims and analyses, we took into consideration the cost and impact of lengthy litigation, and the scope of the CRD’s other settlements, and decided it is in the best interest of the company to resolve these claims and focus on the future," the company explains.

Under the settlement terms, which still have to be approved by a judge, $14.5 million of the total amount will go towards women who worked as employees at Snap Inc. in California between 2014 and 2024. The company will also be required to have a third-party monitor audit its sexual harassment, retaliation and discrimination compliance.

California's Civil Rights Department was the same agency that sued Activision Blizzard in 2021 and accused the company of fostering a "frat boy" culture that encouraged rampant misogyny and sexual harassment. The agency also found that women in the company were overlooked for promotions and were paid less than their male colleagues. It settled with the video game developer in late 2023 for $54 million, though it had to withdraw its claims that there was widespread sexual harassment at the company. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/snap-will-pay-15-million-to-settle-california-lawsuit-alleging-sexual-discrimination-120019788.html?src=rss