Rockstar Tribunal Hears Union-Busting Claims Over GTA VI Firings

An employment tribunal in Glasgow has begun hearing a landmark case in which 23 former Rockstar North employees allege they were unfairly dismissed for trade union activities. The hearing, which opened on September 10, 2026, centers on the October 2025 firing of 34 workers, mostly based in the UK, by the developer of Grand Theft Auto VI. Rockstar Games maintains the dismissals were for gross misconduct, citing the sharing of confidential information on a private Discord server used by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB). The company stated its position has been "clear and consistent" that individuals were dismissed for breaching confidentiality rules, not for union membership or activity. In contrast, the fired employees and the IWGB allege the terminations were a calculated act of union-busting. They claim Rockstar targeted union leaders just days after the union reached the 10% membership threshold required for statutory recognition under UK law. The union alleges Rockstar had been clandestinely monitoring the Discord server through a "mole" for over two and a half years, with the HR director receiving regular updates on union activity.