Rockstar’s layoffs appear to have crossed a line, as the issue has now even been raised by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The dismissal of 34 Rockstar employees – 31 from the Scotland-based Rockstar North studio and three from Rockstar Toronto in Canada – has sparked widespread backlash. The company claims that the dismissed employees shared and discussed confidential information. These allegations are denied by the fired workers themselves, the IWGB (Independent Workers of Great Britain), and other Rockstar employees, who state that the discussions were limited to workplace rules and conditions.

In November, protests took place worldwide outside Rockstar and Take-Two offices, most notably at Rockstar North in Edinburgh and at Take-Two offices in Paris, London, and New York. On December 12, the protests spread to Canada, where a small group composed of representatives from Communications Workers of America Canada (CWA Canada), local game developers, academics, and labor organizers gathered outside the Rockstar Toronto office despite the cold.

The demonstration was organized by CWA Canada representatives Katherine Lapointe and Nasr Ahmed as a sign of solidarity. The three employees dismissed from Rockstar Toronto were not actively involved in forming a union at the studio. They were dismissed because they became entangled in the situation involving the other 31 workers, as they were members of a UK-based Discord organizing group. Their participation on the server suggested that they at least wanted to remain close to organizing efforts. It is possible that they joined the UK-based Discord server to gain insight into how they might conduct their own organizing initiatives.

There had been no previous unionization efforts at Rockstar Toronto. No one from the studio came out to collect the letters, and no member of the group made it to the third floor. As the building was already decorated for the holidays, the group decided to leave the letters under the Christmas tree next to the elevators. It is currently unknown what happened to the letters.

The group then stood outside the building across the street and briefly chanted calls for apologies, kindness, and respect for workers’ rights before everyone went home. It was not a particularly large-scale protest.

According to Ahmed, labor issues in the game industry should concern every Canadian citizen. As a result, a letter-writing campaign was launched to ensure that local politicians become aware of the situation, similar to how British politicians have spoken out. Ahmed stated that no response has yet been received, but the campaign, which began a few days before Friday’s protest, has already gathered more than 300 signatures.

As for the future of the three employees dismissed from Rockstar Toronto, a WCCFTech source reports that legal action is being considered. However, due to differences between labor laws in the United Kingdom and Ontario, they have decided to wait and see how the situation develops before taking steps similar to those pursued in the UK.

Source: WCCFTech, Action Network