GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games just fired over 30 staff members located in UK and Canada offices, and parent company Take-Two say the former employees were responsible "for gross misconduct." Meanwhile, Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claims Rockstar is guilty of "union busting."
Bloomberg reports the impacted employees were all either current union members or planning to organize a union at Rockstar, and they were members of the same private Discord group dedicated to the topic. Reacting to the news on Twitter, IWGB writes, "This is the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry."
"Yesterday, @RockstarGames fired over 30 employees for union activity," the organization continues. "We won't back down, and we're not scared – we will fight for every member to be reinstated."
In a statement to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, IWGB president Alex Marshall categorizes Rockstar's firings as "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."
GamesRadar+ reached out to Rockstar for a response to the IWGB's Twitter post and was directed to Take-Two company spokesperson Alan Lewis.
Lewis shares the following statement: "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. Our culture is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness. Rockstar Games terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason. As always, we fully support Rockstar's ambitions and approach."
