THE CRUNCH
Workers at Rockstar's UK offices are reportedly scheduled to vote on recognising their branch of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) from 12 to 26 November, according to a social media post from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. If the ballot succeeds, the Rockstar Game Workers Union would become the largest recognised union in the UK's games industry.
The vote lands in the same fortnight as another flashpoint. An employment tribunal between Rockstar and the IWGB, originally due to end earlier in October, has been extended, with closing arguments expected on 17 or 18 November, just before Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on 19 November.
The IWGB brought the complaint after Rockstar laid off more than 30 employees in October 2025, most of whom were union members or involved in organising efforts. That raised union-busting concerns, though the company said the dismissals were for misconduct related to sharing confidential information.
The Rockstar Game Workers Union, covering staff across all of the company's UK offices, was announced in May 2026, and Schreier has reported that unionising workers who remained have been in ongoing talks with management since. "We go where the team goes," Jennifer Kolbe, Rockstar's head of publishing, told Schreier. "So if they want a union, they will have a union."