Featured Image Credit: Rockstar Games
Update: A judge has rejected the fired Rockstar staff members’ request for interim relief.
A Rockstar Games spokesperson said: “The Glasgow Employment Tribunal has rejected the union’s application for interim relief. We welcome the decision, which is consistent with Rockstar’s position throughout.
“We regret that we were put in a position where dismissals were necessary, but we stand by our course of action as supported by the outcome of this hearing.”
A major government has vowed to take action following the move by Rockstar to fire 30 of its GTA 6 developers.
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The layoffs happened at the end of October which Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, described as being due to ‘gross misconduct, and for no other reason’.
This came after the firm discovered that the workers were ‘distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum’ which goes against Rockstar’s company policy.
Now, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has spoken out to say the matter was ‘deeply concerning’.
During a session of Prime Minister’s Questions, MP Chris Murray asked the prime minister: “The video games company Rockstar in my constituency last month fired 31 employees without providing evidence or union representation.
“The [Independent Workers Union of Great Britain union] IWGB alleges union busting. Having met Rockstar they failed to reassure me they are following employment law and I share concerns about union busting.
“Given this government is responsible for the biggest increase in workers rights in a generation, does the Prime Minister agree all companies regardless of profit size must follow UK employment law and all workers have the right to join a union?”
In response, Starmer said: “It’s a deeply concerning case. Every worker has the right to join a trade union and we’re determined to strengthen workers rights and ensure they don’t face unfair consequences for being part of a union. Our ministers will look into the particular case that he [Murray] raises and will keep him updated.”
According to a report by IGN, Murray shared a further statement which detailed his attempts to meet with Rockstar, saying: “The meeting began with us as MPs refused entry unless an NDA was signed, a request they eventually withdrew after it being made clear this would not be signed.
“The meeting only entrenched my concerns about the process Rockstar used to dismiss so many of their staff members. I was not assured their process paid robust attention to UK employment law, I was not convinced that this course of action was necessary, and alarmingly, I did not leave informed on exactly what these 31 people had done to warrant their immediate dismissal.”
The highly anticipated GTA 6 has repeatedly faced delays with its release and is now expected to drop next November.
The announcement of the game was first made by Rockstar Games back in February 2022, with the company saying: “On behalf of our entire team, we thank you all for your support and cannot wait to step into the future with you!”
