MPs call out Rockstar Games over alleged union-busting | Computer Weekly

Rockstar Games dismissed 34 employees in October 2025, including 31 workers in Britain who were members of the IWGB Game Workers Union. The remaining three employees were based in Toronto and were not part of IWGB. Rockstar said the layoffs followed gross misconduct, claiming that information shared on a private union Discord breached confidentiality and disparaged the company. During an interim trial in January, John Hendy KC described the claims as a “smokescreen” for union busting. People Make Games reported screenshots of messages connected to the dismissals. Rockstar refused to provide a right to appeal and delayed giving dismissal reasons by six weeks. IWGB alleged Rockstar withheld evidence and did not cooperate with disclosure requests, leading to protests and calls for government and media attention. Scottish MPs demanded transparency, full cooperation, and upheld appeal rights, citing job losses, visa impacts, and changing dismissal reasons for one constituent.

"Rockstar Games - the video game publishers behind Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption - claimed the layoffs were due to gross misconduct. According to them, the sharing of information on a private trade union discord channel both breached confidentiality and publicly disparaged the company. During an interim trial in January, John Hendy KC called these claims a " smokescreen" for the company's union busting. An investigation by People Make Games revealed screenshots of the messages which supposedly led to the dismissals."

"Going against their own dismissal policy, Rockstar has refused to give its workers a right to appeal. They also failed to give employees a reason for their dismissal until six weeks after the firings. IWGB claimed the company refused to provide evidence in full or to cooperate with basic disclosure requests. Since then, the union has been staging protests and calling for governmental and media attention."

"Responding to the firings, Chris Murray, MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, said: "Rockstar must answer this case with transparency and full cooperation and uphold the right to appeal. Constituents have lost their jobs and their income, with one constituent even forced to leave the country due to the removal of their visa sponsor." The MP pointed out inconsistencies in the handling of one of his constituents, with Rockstar changing the reasons for dismissal."

"Tracy Gilbert, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, called the company's refusal to engage with trade unions "extremely disappointing", saying: "Workers asking for fairness, transparency and respect shou"

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