All articles tagged with #iwgb
Build a Rocket Boy permanently winds down MindsEye after multiple layoffs and worker concerns about crunch and monitoring; staff have begun leaving as HR signals the shutdown, while the IWGB union expresses solidarity and vows to pursue justice for workers as Kotaku confirms the closure.
A UK/Canada dispute sees IWGB accusing Rockstar of firing 34 workers (31 union members, 3 non-members) in October 2025 to disrupt union activity after the union hit the UK’s 10% recognition threshold, allegedly aided by a mole within the union Discord. Rockstar counters the terminations were for misconduct and to protect confidential GTA VI development amid a heightened security culture. The Glasgow employment tribunal is hearing the case through 2026, with filings detailing both sides’ arguments and the evidence they contend supports their positions.
Former GTA 6 developers fired from Rockstar’s UK office, all IWGB members, accuse Rockstar of union busting and are pursuing a legal case; they urge fans not to boycott GTA 6 but to support them by buying a charity T-shirt to fund legal costs. A preliminary tribunal allowed blacklisting allegations to proceed and a trial is set for Sept. 10, with GTA 6 preorder numbers described as unprecedented and an extended first look planned for Aug. 27 ahead of the game’s release.
31 Rockstar staff fired amid an employment tribunal over alleged union busting are asking supporters not to boycott GTA 6; instead, proceeds from a new IWGB T-shirt preorder will go to paying the developers’ legal costs, while Rockstar denies union busting and Take-Two chief Strauss Zelnick says GTA 6 sales should stay strong.
Edinburgh-based MindsEye workers at Build a Rocket Boy plan to picket outside the studio for a weekend fan event funded by the company, arguing the decision comes after multiple rounds of layoffs and amid union concerns over governance and privacy. The IWGB and additional unions are set to join the protest, which follows a history of layoffs and controversy around workplace practices; the studio later issued a statement saying the playtest is for players and MindsEye’s future, signaling ongoing dialogue with the community.
BARB staff, allied with the IWGB and other union reps, plan a weekend protest outside Edinburgh offices over an all-expenses-paid fan event, arguing it glosses over sweeping layoffs (around 300 since mid-2025) and MindsEye’s rocky launch, while calling for stronger worker protections in the game industry.
After 2025 layoffs at Rockstar raised concerns about union busting, GTA 6 developers are seeking official recognition for a union called Rockstar Game Workers Union under IWGB. The Guardian reports current employees are coordinating with IWGB to secure recognition before GTA 6’s November release, with a potential strike if voluntary recognition is ignored. If successful, Rockstar would become only the second UK game studio with a recognized union after ZA/UM. Ex-employee Jordan Garland and IWGB president Alex Marshall emphasized giving workers a voice, while pre-orders for GTA 6 reportedly push the title past 3 billion dollars.
UK Rockstar Games workers, backed by the IWGB Game Workers Union, are pursuing official recognition ahead of GTA VI’s release to secure formal bargaining rights after last year’s mass layoffs; if voluntary recognition falters, more organizing or a strike could occur, while the union fights the dismissals in an employment tribunal and Rockstar says the terminations were for sharing confidential information and not tied to union activity. ZA/UM previously became the first UK studio to win recognition in Oct 2025, signaling growing union momentum in the industry.
Rockstar Games employees announced the Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU) under IWGB, seeking justice for 31 fired workers and pushing for pay transparency, flexible work, and an end to crunch, while ongoing legal action alleges union-busting as GTA 6 heads toward a November release.
The Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU), under the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain, has publicly formed and begun preparing a court case against Rockstar Games over the firing of 31 unionizing employees, accusing the company of union-busting. The union is growing across Rockstar sites in Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Lincoln, and Dundee, and is calling for pay transparency, flexible working, and an end to crunch, while fundraising for legal fees as GTA VI looms and Take-Two projects strong earnings.
GTA 6 developers and staff have formed the Rockstar Game Workers Union under the IWGB to challenge Rockstar Games in court, alleging anti-union actions after more than 30 firings. The union seeks pay transparency, flexible working, and an end to crunch, and has spread across offices in Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Lincoln, and Dundee. A trial date has been set but not published yet, with activists and politicians watching Rockstar’s handling of the proceedings.
Britain’s IWGB has filed legal action against Build a Rocket Boy over alleged data privacy violations after BARB installed Teramind monitoring software on staff PCs without informing them; the software reportedly tracked keystrokes, screen activity, and microphone audio and was removed after a grievance by 40+ workers, with the union escalating the case to ACAS and the Information Commissioner’s Office, following earlier union-backed litigation over redundancies and new layoffs amid accusations of espionage and mismanagement.
A Glasgow tribunal refused interim relief to 29 Rockstar Games UK staff who say they were fired for trying to unionise, meaning they will continue to be unpaid while a full hearing proceeds. The workers allege their dismissals for union activity followed confidential information concerns tied to a public Discord server; the judge noted it wasn’t clear whether union membership was the main reason for the sacks. A full tribunal will hear evidence later, with the IWGB union claiming the outcome underscores an attempt to crush a union, while Rockstar welcomed the ruling.
The Glasgow Employment Tribunal refused the IWGB’s bid for interim relief for Rockstar staff fired over alleged Discord postings related to Grand Theft Auto 6, saying it’s unlikely the dismissals were primarily due to union membership. The ruling notes that some affected workers were non-members (including Canadians), some IWGB-connected staff were not dismissed, and that postings may have been obtained via covert monitoring; some employees were dismissed after little or no notice and for limited ongoing posting. A full hearing will proceed, with Rockstar defending its actions and the IWGB remaining optimistic about the case.
The IWGB union has filed legal claims against Rockstar Games in the UK, accusing the company of unlawfully firing over 30 unionizing workers and engaging in union busting tactics, following their termination over alleged misconduct related to trade secrets. The union claims Rockstar's actions violate UK law and are part of a broader effort to suppress unionization efforts among employees.