Last week, Rockstar Games, the prominent developers of the Grand Theft Auto franchise, garnered attention for suddenly laying off 31 employees in the UK and three from Canada. At first, the layoffs were said to be due to “gross misconduct” associated with disclosing “confidential information on a public forum.” However, the UK’s IWGB Game Workers union, which represents the dismissed UK employees, asserts that the true reason was to undermine unionization attempts. In retaliation, the IWGB has launched legal proceedings to reinstate the affected UK staff and organized demonstrations in their favor.
Yesterday, I participated in a demonstration outside Rockstar North’s Edinburgh location. The turnout, while modest, was energetic, with attendees chanting slogans supporting workers’ rights. Among the participants were several politicians, and protestors carried inventive GTA-themed placards. One placard, alluding to the game’s wanted system, initially showed two filled stars, signifying rising attention. By the time I left, all five stars were filled, reflecting the protest’s increasing fervor.
For additional details, read more about the developments and the viewpoints from the picket line.