Ubisoft Halifax would have been the French publisher’s first unionized studio in North America if it hadn’t been immediately shut down after developers there organized. Months later, Halifax workers have finally secured a settlement as Ubisoft moves forward with cost-cutting measures across the rest of the company.
Sixty-one union members voted overwhelmingly for the deal, CWA Canada announced earlier this week. The terms of the settlement will remain confidential, but impacted developers said that despite a tough negotiation, Ubisoft “respected the union” and acted in good faith.
“It came as a surprise to all of us and to the front-line managers as we were in the middle of many ongoing and new projects, and doing great work,” former Ubisoft Halifax employee Jon Huffman said in a statement. “We are extremely grateful to our union for negotiating this package for us.”
Halifax, which worked on Ubisoft’s mobile games, unionized back in December of last year. Just weeks later, the publisher announced it was shutting the whole studio down. Ubisoft denied it was a union-busting move.
“Over the past 24 months, Ubisoft has undertaken company-wide actions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs,” it said in a statement at the time. “As part of this, Ubisoft has made the difficult decision to close its Halifax studio. 71 positions will be affected. We are committed to supporting all impacted team members during this transition with resources, including comprehensive severance packages and additional career assistance.”
Ubisoft has continued downsizing in the months since, with layoffs across its Swedish studios as well as the home of the Tom Clancy franchise in the U.S., Red Storm. While the company’s leadership claims this right-sizing will help ensure Ubisoft’s long-term success, some at the company have voiced their frustration over the publisher’s continued troubles.
