GTA VI developer Rockstar Games faces tribunal after 31 Edinburgh workers sacked
The workers claim they were “unlawfully blacklisted” by the games giant over messages sent on a private chat group
Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games will face an employment tribunal this week over allegations it unlawfully sacked 31 workers from its Edinburgh office.
The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union claims the dismissals last October were an act of "union busting", alleging staff were blacklisted and targeted for union activities.
However, a spokesperson for the games studio vigorously denied the allegations, stating: “Rockstar Games' position has been clear and consistent throughout. Individuals across the UK and Canada were dismissed for gross misconduct following the sharing of confidential company information, not because of alleged trade union membership or activity.
“We reject the claims and will defend them vigorously before the tribunal.”
The tribunal, which begins in Glasgow on Thursday, comes just weeks before the developer is set to release the highly anticipated latest instalment of the GTA franchise on November 19.
According to the IWGB, workers were fired with immediate effect without a disciplinary process or right of appeal. The union claims one worker was forced to return to Australia after his work visa was withdrawn and he was reported to the Home Office.
Former Rockstar employee and IWGB member Jason Lewis said the experience had been “devastating”, but that the tribunal, which runs from September 10 to at least October 15, will give the workers “the chance to put the record straight”.
He said: “For almost a year, the truth about what happened to us has been buried by Rockstar and surrounded by speculation.
“None of us imagined that talking to each other about our working conditions would turn our lives upside down and catapult us into the centre of a global media storm.
“We have fought tooth and nail to get to this point, not just to be able to win justice for ourselves, but to draw a line in the sand for any employer that thinks it can attack workers for unionising.”
Following the dismissals, protests have been held outside of the games giant's Holyrood Road headquarters in which dozens of affected workers and their supporters gathered to condemn the “union busting”.
The city’s MPs have also voiced their support for the workers.
Edinburgh North and Leith’s Tracy Gilbert called on the company to voluntarily recognise the union, while fellow Labour MP Chris Murray raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions in December.
IWGB’s president said the tribunal will “send a clear message” that workers have a right to join a union.
He said: “We believe Rockstar has tried to get away with Grand Theft Employment Rights. After a year of fighting to get answers, we hope this tribunal will finally back them into a corner and bring the truth to light.”
Instead of boycotting GTA VI, the workers are asking gamers to contribute to their legal funds towards the costs of bringing the tribunal.
Mr Lewis said: “As the world prepares for the release of GTA VI, we are reliving the heartbreak of being thrown out of a project we poured so much of our lives into. We lost our jobs, our income, our community and the chance to see the game through to release after spending years helping to build it.
“It has been an emotional journey and it is not over yet, but we can now see the finish line, and justice at last feels within reach.”