Rockstar Tribunal Denies Interim Pay to Fired Workers

Rockstar tribunal denies interim pay to fired employees amid union dispute

Jay Peters is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.

What happened

A UK employment tribunal rejected a request from fired Rockstar Games employees to receive interim pay while they await a full hearing about their dismissals, according to Bloomberg and IGN. The two-day hearing took place last week.

Background: the dismissals and union claims

Last year Rockstar fired 34 employees — 31 based in the UK and three in Canada. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) accused Rockstar of "union busting" after the layoffs. The union says the firings targeted organizers and were intended to discourage collective action.

Rockstar disputes the union's account. The company says the employees were dismissed for leaking internal information in a Discord channel. Rockstar maintains the dismissals were necessary and says its actions followed an internal review.

Statements from both sides

"Despite being refused interim relief today, we've come out of last week's hearing more confident than ever that a full and substantive tribunal will find Rockstar's calculated attempt to crush a union to be not only unjust but unlawful," IWGB president Alex Marshall said in a statement.

Marshall added that the very fact a hearing was granted shows the strength of the union's case. He also said that, during the two-day hearing, Rockstar failed to substantiate claims reported in the press or to refute allegations it acted unfairly and breached its own procedures.

"We regret that we were put in a position where dismissals were necessary, but we stand by our course of action as supported by the outcome of this hearing," a Rockstar Games spokesperson told Bloomberg and IGN.

Representatives for Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.

Why this matters for gaming news

The case touches on several issues important to the gaming community and industry watchers: employee rights, union organizing in the games sector, and corporate responses to leaks. It may also influence labor relations at other studios as unions and worker organizations push for more protections.

• Industry impact: High-profile disputes can shape company reputations and hiring practices across game development.
• Legal outcomes: A full tribunal could set precedent for interim relief and wrongful-dismissal claims tied to union activity.
• Project implications: Rockstar continues work on Grand Theft Auto VI, which was recently delayed from a planned May launch to November 19.

Next steps

The tribunal will hold a full hearing at a later date. Both sides will present evidence and witness testimony. Observers in gaming news and labor rights will watch closely for the ruling and any wider fallout for union organizing in the games industry.

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