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The representative added, “We leave this hearing having seen a glimpse of Rockstar’s fragile defense. We feel even more confident in our assertion that these dismissals were not only unjust but clearly illegal. Notably, the judge acknowledged there was no proof Rockstar suffered negative repercussions from the alleged communications.”
Rockstar Games, in a statement provided to GamesRadar+, expressed satisfaction with the court’s stance.
“The Glasgow Employment Tribunal has dismissed the union’s request for interim relief. We welcome this outcome, which aligns with Rockstar’s consistent position,” the spokesperson noted. “While we regret that dismissals became necessary, we maintain our course of action, now validated by this preliminary hearing.”
Rockstar maintains the developers were fired for disclosing sensitive information through a Discord server set up by the union. The IWGB has countered this, asserting that the employees were simply discussing work-life issues and labor conditions.
The judge observed that the Discord channel contained approximately 350 individuals, only half of whom were union members. She noted the presence of a video game journalist and several individuals who were no longer with the company at the time. Furthermore, the ruling highlighted that three of the 34 workers were based in Canada and therefore not part of the UK union, although the remaining 31 were members at the time of their dismissal.
The IWGB further alleged that Rockstar management surreptitiously monitored their private Discord server. The union clarified that individuals Rockstar labeled as “journalists” or “competitors” were actually union officials or former staff still under non-disclosure agreements. Additionally, the union argued that Rockstar failed to conduct a formal investigation or offer the developers a chance to appeal before their termination.
“Interim relief is an exceptionally high legal bar to clear before a full trial, and it is rare for a judge to grant it to a group this size,” the IWGB’s statement continued.
“Failing to secure this temporary order simply means the specific, stringent criteria for this measure weren’t met today. It does not suggest Rockstar will be cleared of unfair dismissal when the full case is heard.”
Source: gamesradar.com
