Between 30 and 40 staffers at Rockstar Games have been fired in what is being called a "ruthless" act of union busting by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, according to a new report from Bloomberg and Jason Schreier.
According to Schreier, Rockstar, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, fired dozens of employees across its offices in the UK and Canada on Thursday. The employees in question were reportedly part of a private Discord server centered on a trade union, and were either members of the union or considering signing up for union membership, according to reporting from Kotaku.
The move, according to the IWGB, was designed to stop the workers from unionizing. IWGB further states that of the staff members fired, multiple either had work visas sponsored by Rockstar or are impacted by medical conditions and will lose essential coverage.
"Rockstar has just carried out one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union busting in the history of the game industry," Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB, said. "This flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry."
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The Company Argues That Its Firings Had Nothing To Do With Unionization
Take-Two and Rockstar, however, contend that the employees were fired for "gross misconduct" and not for any other reason such as unionization efforts.
"We fully support Rockstar’s ambitions and approach," Alan Lewis, a Take-Two spokesperson told Bloomberg in a statement.
In a separate statement provided to Kotaku, Take-Two doubled down on its claims of "gross misconduct" while also highlighting the company's culture.
"We strive to make the world’s best entertainment properties by giving our best-in-class creative teams positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities," an emailed statement read. "Our culture is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness. ... As always, we fully support Rockstar’s ambitions and approach."
As Schreier noted in his report, in early 2024, things between Rockstar and the union came to a head when the company instituted return-to-office mandates that would require employees to be in office five days a week. The requirements were categorized as part of "productivity" efforts, as well as a need to increase security following multiple leaks.
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