Union requests interim relief for employees affected by Rockstar layoffs

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has requested interim relief for employees dismissed by Rockstar Games last November.

A preliminary UK employment tribunal hearing took place earlier this week (January 5) at Scotland’s Tribunals Centre in Glasgow, with IWGB and Rockstar in attendance.

If granted, interim relief would provide the 31 workers affected with support while the legal case continues to a full trial. This would see employees reinstated on Rockstar’s payroll, and the restoration of work visas.

“We hope this week’s tribunal will grant urgently needed relief to the workers whose lives were turned upside down by Rockstar’s brutal union-busting, leaving them and their families without incomes, without secure futures, and in some cases without even the right to remain in the country they have made their home,” said the IWGB.

“No matter the outcome of this interim hearing, we remain confident in the strength of the case we have brought against Rockstar. We reiterate our firm belief that Rockstar broke the law when it summarily dismissed 31 of our members, and we look forward now to the day we face them in court for a full and substantive tribunal hearing.”

In response, Rockstar said it “categorically denies the claims” heard during the hearing.

“We have consistently made clear that we took necessary action against a group of individuals across the UK and Canada who discussed highly confidential information, including relating to game features from upcoming and unannounced titles, in an insecure and public social channel,” said Rockstar. “This was a breach of long-standing and well-understood confidentiality policies.”

The “insecure and public social channel” is relating to an invite-only Discord, which Rockstar claimed “at least 25 non-Rockstar employees” were able to access, including a games industry journalist, employees of rival developers, and “dozens of anonymous, unidentified members.”

It reiterated that employees “who posted union-supportive messages, who did not breach confidentiality policies, were not dismissed.”

“We regret that these dismissals were necessary; however, confidentiality is fundamental to everything Rockstar does,” the developer added. “This was never about union membership. We have always taken a zero-tolerance approach to unauthorized releases of information – and we always will.”

Rockstar denied IWGB’s claims of union busting, as well as having a “blacklist” of union members and that it did not know whether those affected were union members at the time of dismissal.

IWGB initially filed a formal legal claim against Rockstar last November, after the developer fired 31 employees in late October. IWGB accused Rockstar of union busting, while Rockstar claimed those dismissed had been leaking “confidential information” and was not related to union activities.

Following the dismissal, over 200 members of Rockstar North signed a letter asking for the impacted workers to be reinstated, with affected employees holding protests in London and Edinburgh.

The case also made its way to parliament, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer describing the situation as “deeply concerning.”

“Every worker has the right to join a trade union. We’re determined to strengthen workers rights and ensure they don’t face unfair consequences for being part of a union.”