220 Rockstar staff members have signed a letter telling the GTA 6 developer they believe its recent firing of 31 workers was obvious union busting, not retribution for leaking "confidential information" like it claims. To explain this better to Rockstar in person, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has planned three international protests.
These protests are currently scheduled to take place in Paris and London on November 14 in front of the cities' respective offices for Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company. Additionally, a march is scheduled for Edinburgh on November 18, and protesters will walk from Rockstar North's headquarters in Barclay House to Scottish Parliament.
Twisting the knife, the IWGB also recently filed legal claims against Rockstar "asserting that it will pursue all avenues to ensure that members are reinstated and granted interim relief," the organization says in a press release.
"It's heartwarming to see so many of our colleagues supporting us and holding management to account – during a period where Rockstar want us to feel scared, my brave former colleagues are marching straight up to our boss's door," one fired Rockstar employee says in the release. While Rockstar maintains that "we took action against a small number of individuals who were found to be distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum," something "in no way related to people's right to join a union," the IWGB and impacted employees disagree.
"It's clear to everyone close to this situation that this is a blatant, unapologetic act of vicious union busting," the former Rockstar staff member alleges. Each of the 31 fired developers were part of the IWGB Union and a Discord server dedicated to discussing union activities.
"By deciding to fire more than 30 union members, Rockstar have carried out an Amazon-style act of union-busting unprecedented in the games industry," claims IWGB organizer Fred Carter. "This is a company that benefits from more than £440 million in UK tax relief, while displaying a callous and blatant disregard for both the livelihood of workers and the letter of the law."
The IWGB has not yet responded to GamesRadar+'s requests for comment.
