The final hearing in the case of 31 former Rockstar North employees, who allege they were unlawfully fired and blacklisted for union activity, is set to begin this week. The tribunal, scheduled to run from September 10 through October 16, comes as Grand Theft Auto 6 nears its release. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), representing the employees, is seeking reinstatement or compensation and a ruling that their dismissals were unfair.
Rockstar Games previously attempted to have these claims dismissed earlier this year but was unsuccessful. The employees were terminated in October of last year, with Rockstar citing "gross misconduct" for alleged breaches of confidentiality agreements. The employees, however, maintain they were discussing workplace conditions and salaries in a private Discord channel, actions they assert are typical of union-related discussions.
Former Rockstar employee Jason Lewis stated, "For almost a year, the truth about what happened to us has been buried by Rockstar and surrounded by speculation. Now we finally get the chance to put it on the record." He described the experience as devastating, leading to the loss of jobs, income, and the opportunity to see the game they worked on to completion.
The IWGB alleges that one Australian employee was forced to return home after Rockstar withdrew his work visa and reported him to the Home Office. The firings drew significant media attention and led to protests, with the matter even being raised in the UK Parliament. Then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented on the case, affirming the right of every worker to join a trade union.
IWGB president Alex Marshall commented ahead of the hearing, "We believe Rockstar has tried to get away with Grand Theft Employment Rights." This legal action follows Take-Two's ongoing efforts to obtain private user information from Discord related to Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay leaks.
In the wake of these dismissals, a Rockstar Game Workers Union has formed and is reportedly growing, making additional allegations against the company concerning crunch, bonus payments, and gender-based pay inequality.