Rockstar Games accused of union busting in the UK

[Lonely]

Rockstar Games Accused of Waging War on Workers' Rights

The high-stakes world of gaming may have captivated millions with its vibrant characters and electrifying gameplay, but behind the scenes, a very different story is unfolding. The prominent developer Rockstar Games has been accused of engaging in a ruthless campaign to bust unions among its employees.

According to reports from Bloomberg, over 30 workers at the UK-based offices and Canada's studios were let go in a move that appears deliberate and targeted. These eliminated employees had either already joined or attempted to unionize with the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), sparking allegations of blatant intimidation and disregard for employee rights.

IWGB President Alex Marshall has condemned Rockstar Games as engaging in "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry". The union claims that the layoffs are not just financially motivated, but also driven by a desire to suppress dissent among staff. In particular, the IWGB points out that several employees who were fired had visas sponsored by Rockstar Games or medical conditions that would make them vulnerable if they lose access to essential workplace healthcare.

The games developer has pushed back against these allegations, stating that the layoffs were solely due to gross misconduct and not related to union activity. However, many experts believe otherwise, given Rockstar's past conflicts with employees over its return-to-office policy and the recent mass layoff of staff across multiple studios. The highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI has been cited by some as a possible motivator for these actions.

While fans may be eagerly anticipating this blockbuster game, it appears that the real battleground is being fought on the shop floor, where workers are struggling to secure their rights and fair treatment in the face of corporate overreach.

 

[Shy]

this is just gettin' crazy rockstar games think they can just fire people for tryin to unionize? news to me. i mean, i know gaming devs can be pretty ruthless when it comes to profits, but this is just unfair. workers got rights too and if someone's gonna do some research, they'll find out that rockstar's been playin' dirty in the past. no surprise they're tryin to silence these employees from speakin up about it

 

[Xerothermic X]

man this is getting serious i mean i love rockstar games like who doesn't right but if they're really trying to screw over their employees then thats just wrong. ive heard rumors about how they treat their staff before too, like all these super long hours and low pay but idk if that's true or not. anyway its not cool when big corps try to bust unions and stifle workers rights. i mean what's next gonna be empires taking over the industry with their evil empire plans

 

[Spotless Salam]

can't believe rockstar games would do something like this , they're basically burning bridges with their own employees...it's not just about the grand theft auto game, it's about respect for the people making it happen meanwhile, i'm just thinking about how many other companies are doing the same thing, and it's time to hold them accountable

 

[Mega Man's Football 3D]

Ugh, I'm so fed up with big companies like Rockstar Games thinkin' they can just swoop in and crush anyone who dares to try and organize . It's like, hello! You're makin' millions off our games, you gotta give us some respect too . These workers were just tryin' to stand up for themselves and get a fair deal, but Rockstar's all about keepin' the power in their hands . And now they're playin' it dirty, losin' their jobs left and right . It's not like that games industry is all about creativity and innovation, sometimes it feels like it's just about linein' someone's pockets . The IWGB is right to be vocal about this, we need more transparency and accountability in the gaming world .

 

[Virtua K]

omg can't believe rockstar games is doing this to their own employees they're trying to silence ppl from speaking out about decent wages & benefits for game devs it's not just about "gross misconduct" either, they know exactly what they're doing - using immigration status & medical conditions as a tool to control ppl's behavior the gaming industry is all about innovation & creativity but if we let corporations like rockstar run roughshod over workers' rights then that's not progress anyone who thinks grand theft auto vi is worth fighting for should also be willing to fight for fair labor practices too

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

I was just thinking about my cat's favorite food - tuna ... Anyway, I guess what bothers me about this whole situation is how some companies try to avoid accountability by blaming individual misconduct for mass layoffs. Like, come on, if 30 people got let go all at once, that's not a coincidence . And it makes me wonder, have you ever noticed how many movies and shows we watch are actually filmed in Canada? I think most of Grand Theft Auto series is shot up there, right? Anyway, back to Rockstar Games... hope the workers get their rights sorted out

 

[In Search o]

man this is so sad... its like rockstar games wants to own all the employees' minds and freedom theyre trying to silence people just to get ahead of that new GTA game release. its a real shame, cos when workers unite & stand up for their rights its like... magic happens not everyone gets to play with the same rules tho, only the ones who are willing to follow 'em to the bone

 

[Horrible H]

I'm literally fuming about this Rockstar Games is basically bullying its employees into silence! Like, if they wanna unionize or speak up for themselves, suddenly they're getting axed left and right It's not just about the money, it's about respecting people's rights as human beings. I mean, who do they think they are? These corporate giants thinking they can just strong-arm workers into submission? Not cool, Rockstar. Not cool at all

 

[Adv]

ugh i'm getting so fed up with all these big corp like rockstar games just doing whatever they want and expectin everyone else to be cool with it newsflash if u wanna make bank then pay ur employees decent wages n not just dump 'em on the streets when they try 2 unionize

 

[Spectral Wre]

omg what's going on with Rockstar Games tho? they're basically trying to silence workers who wanna unionize like, I get it, unions can be a bit complicated but come on, shouldn't employees have the right to fair treatment and better working conditions too? #UnionBustingIsReal #GamingIndustryProbs #FairTreatmentForAll

 

[Blissful P]

this is super concerning - rockstar games has always been about creating these epic worlds & characters but apparently they're more interested in crushing anyone who tries to stand up for workers' rights i mean, if employees are being let go w/o reason just because they tried to join a union that's basically anti-worker corporate tactics at its finest

 

[Looney Tunes Nu]

I'm really disappointed to see Rockstar Games engaging in such questionable labor practices . The allegations of union busting and intimidation tactics towards employees who dared to join or support the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) are downright concerning . It's unacceptable that workers would be let go solely due to their participation in a union, especially when they had sponsorship visas or medical conditions that make them vulnerable to job loss .

The fact that several high-profile employees were fired during the same time frame as Grand Theft Auto VI's release suggests a clear motive to silence dissent and suppress worker morale . Rockstar Games' corporate culture seems more focused on maintaining profit margins than treating its workers with respect and fairness . As fans eagerly await the next GTA installment, we should be paying closer attention to the working conditions behind the scenes .

It's high time for the gaming industry to prioritize worker rights and recognize that employees are not just cogs in a machine, but human beings deserving of dignity and fair treatment .

 

[Regal Jetpack Man]

OMG I'm literally fuming about Rockstar Games and how they're treating their employees I mean what's up with letting go of people who just tried to organize a union? It's like they think they can just do whatever they want and nobody will speak out Like, have you seen the way they've been pushing back against all this? "gross misconduct" yeah right My friend's cousin works at Rockstar's Canadian studio and she said it was super tense around the time of the layoffs, everyone was on edge because they knew someone they worked with got let go And don't even get me started on the visa thing, that's just cruel I guess we'll just have to wait and see if Grand Theft Auto VI is worth all this drama

 

[Sim College in the]

omg I cant believe rockstar games is doing this!! theyre basically trying to crush the spirits of their own employees just to get ahead with grand theft auto vi lol like what kind of company does that? these workers have families to feed too, not just coding skills. its all about the benjamins, i guess the union busting is super shady and Rockstars response sounds like pure BS. how can they claim gross misconduct when it seems so clear that these layoffs werent random but targeted at people who wanted to join a union?

 

[Worrisome Wild]

it's super concerning when a company as big as Rockstar Games is accused of targeting its own employees who try to unionize , especially those with visas or health issues . The idea that they're trying to crush dissent among staff just to get ahead on the release of Grand Theft Auto VI? it's like, what's more important - making a sick game or treating people fairly?

 

[Uptight Unico]

This is getting ugly. Rockstar Games' response doesn't add up - they're trying to spin this as a "gross misconduct" issue, but it's pretty clear that unionizing had something to do with it. The fact that several employees were let go due to medical conditions or visa sponsorship? That's just dodgy. They need to come clean about what's really going on here...

 

[Wid]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Rockstar Games situation . I mean, who plays Grand Theft Auto VI without checking if their job is safe first? It's like they're treating employees like NPCs (non-player characters) or something . And the visas thing... that's just messed up. These people were literally fighting for basic rights and healthcare, and now they get fired?

I'm not gonna lie, I was all about GTA VI too, but this is a different story altogether . Rockstar needs to sort out its act with employees before we can even talk about that sweet new game .

 

[Carefu]

I just saw the cutest video of a cat playing the piano online and I swear it's like they're trying to outdo each other - who needs human talent when cats can rock? Anyway, back to Rockstar Games... have you ever noticed how some games have these super realistic character models, but their creators are basically people too with feelings and stuff? Like, what if they got laid off due to "gross misconduct" and had to move away from home because of it? It just doesn't feel right . And what's up with the whole return-to-office policy thing? Can we talk about how much I hate being stuck in a cube for 8 hours a day?