UK tribunal allows union blacklisting claims vs Rockstar

A UK employment tribunal has ruled that a labor union can proceed with claims that Rockstar Games blacklisted employees involved in union activity, setting the stage for a major trial this fall. The ruling marks a significant legal development in a case that began last year after the video game developer dismissed 34 employees.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) alleges that Rockstar Games, the studio behind the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, fired the workers in a coordinated move against union organizing. The company maintains the dismissals were solely due to gross misconduct, specifically the leaking of confidential information on a private Discord server. The firings occurred on a single day in late 2025, affecting 31 employees at Rockstar North offices in the UK and three at Rockstar Toronto in Canada.

The tribunal’s recent decision rejects Rockstar’s attempt to have the blacklisting claims removed from the case. Blacklisting, defined as compiling information on union-active workers to discriminate against them, is a prohibited practice. The ruling means the full scope of the union’s allegations will be heard at a scheduled hearing running from September...