Between unionization and “serious misconduct”, two bells ringing
According to information collected by journalist Jason Schreier, Rockstar Games reportedly fired 30 to 40 people from its teamsin its offices in the United Kingdom and Canada, while the development of GTA 6 is in full swing. Information that may come as a surprise given that production of the game will reach its peak, and therefore requires more employees than ever.
There are two opposing versions regarding these layoffs. The one reported by Bloomberg and numerous testimonies concerns an attempt to unionize these employees. According to Jason Schreier, the targeted employees were part of a Discord group that was building a labor movement, notably through the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), a British union. Alex Marshall, who chairs this union, says:
“ Rockstar has just committed one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union repression in the history of the video game industry. This blatant disregard for the law and for the lives of workers who generate billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry. »
Rockstar, for its part, displays another version, so as not to have the image of a super-powerful group that is against unions. According to a Take-Two spokesperson, this group of people were fired for “ serious fault, and for nothing else »without specifying what fault it is. Suffice to say that an attempt at unionization can also be qualified as a serious mistake by certain companies not comfortable with it, if the studio wants to play with words. For the moment, it is impossible to have the last word on this story without freeing up the floor a little more.