Developers at Rockstar Games working on Grand Theft Auto 6 will vote on whether or not to establish a union at the studio next month, with the voting period coinciding with GTA 6‘s launch.
According to a press release shared with Kotaku, UK workers at Rockstar Games will vote on whether to establish a union with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) from November 12 through 26, running through GTA 6‘s launch on November 19. If successful, the established union would be the largest recognized video game sector union in the UK.
The release goes on to say that unionizing workers have been meeting with Rockstar management since this past July to hash out a recognition deal, which they say would give unionized employees a say on issues such as pay and bonuses, overtime, redundancies, flexible working, and generative AI policies. Previously, workers called for Rockstar to voluntarily recognize the union ahead of GTA 6, but it has gone to a vote instead.
This vote also coincides with the conclusion of an ongoing labor dispute with Rockstar management that is currently in front of an employment tribunal in the UK. Last October, 31 individuals who were part of the burgeoning union efforts were suddenly fired from Rockstar, with members alleging this firing was an act of union busting. Rockstar maintains that the 31 were terminated for “gross misconduct, and for no other reason,” saying later that the individuals were fired for discussing company secrets in an external channel. The hearing has been ongoing in recent weeks, and has included revelations such as the presence of a “mole” in the union Discord server who allegedly leaked secrets to Rockstar in exchange for time off. Closing submissions in this hearing are expected on November 17 and 18.
