Beyond the GTA VI delay, there’s another controversy brewing at Rockstar Games this week. The studio has been accused of laying off more than 30 developers who wanted to unionize.
The company then cited “serious misconduct” and the fact that these individuals were leaking confidential information () to explain the dismissals. However, one developer has contradicted Rockstar’s version of events. The employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, posted a long message on GTAForums.
“Hey everyone, R Employee of many years here!*
Understandably I want to remain anonymous due to retaliation from the Company, but I may be willing to verify I’m an employee with @Spider-Vice via DM (if required). I am also a member of the Union.
I’ve been reading a lot of the discussion on here and elsewhere about the firing of more than 34 of my colleagues last week (31 in the UK + 3 in Canada) and have seen a lot of disinformation and lies that are really concerning. Particularly concerning how so many folk are willing to believe the Company’s excuses.
Last week, my colleagues who were in the studio were each individually messaged by HR for a short friendly meeting, under the friendly guise of “Hey, are you free for a quick chat?”
Upon attending this meeting they were handed an envelope with a short letter stating that their employment had been terminated for “gross misconduct” regarding posts made in Discord.
They failed to provide any evidence when asked, nor was any stated in the letter. And did not divulge any other information or reasoning – “and no other reason.”
They refused their right to Union representation in the disciplinary meeting (which is against UK employment law) and were frogmarched out of the studio with the meeting lasting less than 5 minutes.
For colleagues who were not in the Studio that day, they received a phone call from HR that lasted less than 2 minutes telling them they were fired and that they’d receive the same letter as above. I am aware of one employee who had a panic attack at this moment, and HR hung up on them during this panic attack not caring at all about their wellbeing.
These colleagues of mine were hard workers who have spent many many years at R in critical roles. With colleagues who have been at R* for more that 18 years and none of them have ever had a disciplinary in that time. They are not easily replaced and will certainly affect us in making our project deadlines.*
These are very senior artists, animators, QA testers, designers, programmers and producers. Including Leads. All super talented people who were proud of their work over multiple R titles, and all they wanted was the best for R* and their fellow colleagues.*
Some of these members were off sick, recovering from surgery or on paternity leave. Fired without pay, losing their careers and putting them into hardship in the lead up to Christmas, and even potentially losing their VISAs to work in the UK.
Let me make this clear! I never saw any discussion/leaking of Rockstar projects in the Union Discord. The only ever discussion was around unionisation efforts and the working conditions at R. The Discord wasn’t public. It was a private Discord group that only contained R* employees and the IWGB Union officials.*
This was Union Busting and nothing else! Everyone fired was a Union Member, they were also predominantly from those who were on the Union Organising Committees of each UK studio.
Just one week before, the Union had reached ~200 members taking us over the 10% threshold required to seek recognition and begin engaging in collective bargaining. Allowing us to negotiate directly with management on the key issues that affect us: worsening crunch, inadequate pay and inflexible working arrangements.
They have fired over 34 of us now. There were over 250 of us in that Union/Employee Discord group. There is the fear that if they get away with this, they’ll have nothing stopping them from doing this again and again.
Those of us who are lucky and remain for now work in fear! Fearful when talking to each other at the tea prep, fearful that we’re next in line and are easily got rid of, too scared to go outside the studio and talk to (or even acknowledge) our colleagues outside protesting in fear of reprisals. Morale in the studio is at rock bottom. When we should be excited about what’s to come over the next year we are now totally deflated and our trust and confidence in others is totally shot.
Which is the truly heartbreaking part, as for us in the Union, all of our ambition was to make R a happier, fairer, safer and more equitable place. That’s all. What has happened clearly shows that we care more about the wellbeing of our colleagues at Rockstar than the Company does.*
The union remains unbowed and is fighting to win the reinstatement of every dismissed member of staff at Rockstar through legal means and campaigning.
This fight is critical, if Rockstar can get away with this, they will keep treating their workers with disdain, disrespect, and subjecting them to continued illegal treatment.
Thanks for your time, and I hope this is some truth that helps you all understand what’s going on here at the moment.
I you would be so kind, you can contribute to the fundraiser to support those fighting their dismissal here: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-rockstar-workers-fighting-unfair-dismissals/
It would be really appreciated if you could also share the above link. I won’t be cross posting this to other forums, but please feel free to share.
Cheers x”
