‘This case stands as a warning’: Union issues legal claim against GTA 6 dev Rockstar
Rockstar is accused of firing employees in an act of union busting
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has issued a legal claim against Grand Theft Auto 6 developer Rockstar Games, after it dismissed a group of staff in what the group claims was an act of union-busting.
Earlier this month, Rockstar dismissed over 30 staff across its offices in the UK and Canada for what it called “gross misconduct” related to the alleged leaking of company secrets in a public forum.
At the time, the IWGB issued a strongly worded statement calling Rockstar’s actions “a brazen act of illegal union busting” and accusing the company of “a calculated attack on workers organising for a collective voice and to improve their difficult working conditions”. A spokesperson for Rockstar parent Take-Two denied the claims.
Now, IWGB says it’s issued a legal claim against Rockstar for “unfairly dismissing staff for union activity and blacklisting its members”.
The IWGB’s legal team said in a statement: “We are representing employees who were dismissed by Rockstar Games in circumstances that we believe amount to victimisation and collective dismissal linked to trade union activity.
“Despite our representation and attempts to meet with Rockstar to resolve the matter through negotiation, Rockstar have declined and persisted to terminate members of the union in a manner that is unacceptable and unlawful. Accordingly, we have now issued formal legal claims against Rockstar on behalf of the Claimants.
“Our members allege that Rockstar’s conduct constitutes trade union victimisation and blacklisting.”
Alex Marshall, IWGB president, added: “We are confident that what we’ve seen here is plain and simple union busting, and we will mount a full legal defence with our expert group of caseworkers, legal officers and barristers.
“Employers like Rockstar would do well to understand that private spaces such as trade union Discord servers have protections, and that their company’s contractual clauses do not supersede UK law.
“This case stands as a warning to any employer in the games industry and beyond who thinks they are able to act with impunity against organised workers – we will not be intimidated.”
Rockstar announced earlier this month that Grand Theft Auto 6 has now been delayed until November 19, 2026. “We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve,” Rockstar said in a statement.
