Developers at Ubisoft Barcelona have initiated a strike in protest against recent layoffs and proposed restructuring within the company. The action, organized by the Spanish union La Confederación General del Trabajo, began on June 30th and is scheduled to continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays until July 17th. The core of the developers' demands centers on preventing the dismissal of 51 staff members at the Barcelona studio, which was recently refocused on supporting Rainbow Six: Siege.
Beyond job preservation, the striking employees are seeking a guaranteed job protection period of at least five years. They are also advocating for an unconditional return to a remote work model that allows employees to work from home 60 percent of the time. Additionally, the developers are calling for the approval of internal promotions that they claim have been unilaterally halted by the company, and the establishment of a career development pact to formally address pay raises and social benefits.
These actions follow a period of significant upheaval for Ubisoft. Earlier this year, the publisher announced substantial restructuring that led to the closure of Ubisoft Winnipeg and Ubisoft Belgrade. The pivot of Ubisoft Barcelona to a Rainbow Six: Siege-focused studio occurred concurrently with these broader changes, highlighting a period of considerable turmoil for the international gaming company.