Another Legal Setback For Rockstar Games
A UK employment tribunal has denied Rockstar Games’ request to have allegations of ‘blacklisting’ removed from the case involving the summary dismissal of 31 employees.
The ruling means the fired workers, represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), will be allowed to bring all claims of union-busting by Rockstar to the trial, which begins in September.
“Rockstar thought they could control the narrative,” fired employee Ellie Dunstan says in an IWGB statement.
“They’re wrong, and we look forward to proving it. Our case will now be heard in full and put to the test as it should be.”
IWGB Game Workers Branch Chair, Spring McParlin-Jones adds:
“This ruling is a major blow to Rockstar’s attempts to avoid scrutiny for its actions, and a major step forward in our fight for justice for our members.”
It’s the latest legal setback for the AAA games developer in the lead up to the release of their newest game ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’, expected to be the biggest video game launch of all time.
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Last October, Rockstar North in the UK summarily terminated 31 workers, the majority of whom were union members at the time. The company claimed the employees had violated their contracts by discussing confidential information in a leaked Discord chat.
The employees and the IWGB accused Rockstar Games of ‘union-busting’ activities, including the blacklisting of employees thought to be involved with union organisation.
The case found national exposure following fierce public demonstrations by the fired workers and the IWGB demanding justice. It even reached the attention of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called it “a deeply disturbing case.”
Earlier this month, the Rockstar Game Workers Union was established as a subsidiary of the IWGB. The group says it is organising around pay transparency, flexible working, and an end to crunch culture.
The upcoming trial starts on 10 September and runs until 15 October, just over a month out from the release on ‘GTA VI’ on 19 November. It is expected the trial will be closely monitored and provide invaluable insights into the working conditions games developers are expected to endure.
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