Developer Rockstar Games has fired dozens of employees due to serious misconduct. Further investigation suggests that it concerns employees who wanted to establish a union within Rockstar Games. This is what Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier writes.
According to Schreier, Rockstar Games recently laid off about 30 to 40 employees in the United Kingdom and Canada (via Bloomberg). Presumably because they were all members of a private chat on Discord about forming a union.
According to a representative of the British trade union Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), Rockstar wanted to prevent the formation of a union within the company. She describes the situation as an unlawful form of union oppression and a disrespectful attitude towards employees who bring in millions of dollars.
Take-Two Interactive maintains that all dismissals are the result of “serious misconduct.” Remarkably, all affected employees were fired at the same time. And right after Rockstar discovered they were members of a union chat on Discord.
It is no coincidence that the employees of Rockstar Games are just now coming up with the idea of setting up a trade union. The studio is undoubtedly putting the finishing touches on GTA 6. To meet that deadline, countless overtime hours will undoubtedly be required. Something that employees probably want to protect their colleagues from.
If the affected employees go to court with this situation – and if there is actually nothing left to do – this could also be settled in their favor. Because Rockstar Games is violating their freedom of speech here.
