Rockstar Accused of Union Busting in the UK by IWGB - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 03 November 2025 / 973 Views
Rockstar Games has been accused of union busting in the UK by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) after it reportedly laid off over 30 employees on Thursday, October 30.
The staff were all part of a private trade union Discord channel and members of the IWGB. The union says this is "unlawful and retaliatory dismissals." Some of the people let go had visas sponsored by Rockstar and some "with medical conditions who will lose access to essential workplace healthcare schemes."
IWGB will be defending its members in which it believes were "targeted unfairly for exercising their legal rights."
IWGB President Alex Marshall states, "Rockstar has just carried out the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry. This flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry.
"Despite this calculated attack on workers organising for a collective voice and to improve their difficult working conditions, the Rockstar Union remains undeterred. They will keep organising for respect and better conditions whilst continuing to pour their blood, sweat and creativity into games that are loved by millions.
"The IWGB will pursue every legal claim possible to ensure our members are reinstated and receive interim relief."
Chair of the IWGB Game Workers Union Spring Mcparlin-Jones added, "Next year, Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to make upwards of $10 billion. That’s enough to end world hunger for a year. Such a flagrant attack on workers’ rights from such a valuable studio sends a very clear and shocking message to the world, that money matters more than people."
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
