Employment tribunal rejects Rockstar's bid to strip blacklisting claims from union trial

An employment tribunal has rejected Rockstar Games' request to have blacklisting claims stripped from the upcoming trial over alleged union busting at the GTA 6 studio. The trial is set to begin on 10 September and run through to 15 October.

The dispute dates back to last October, when Rockstar fired around 30 employees — all union members. The company said the dismissals were for gross misconduct, but the UK's Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) called it one of the most blatant acts of union busting in the history of the games industry and filed a legal claim against the studio. Blacklisting — the prohibited practice of listing trade union members by an employer to influence recruitment or management decisions — was among the allegations included in that claim. Rockstar had asked for those specific claims to be removed during a preliminary hearing, but the tribunal ruled against it, meaning every one of the IWGB's allegations can now proceed to a full trial.

The case has already drawn significant public attention. More than 200 Rockstar North employees signed a letter to management condemning the firings, the matter was raised in Parliament, and UK prime minister Keir Starmer described the dismissals as deeply concerning.

Ellie Dunstan, one of the workers fired last October, welcomed the ruling: Rockstar thought they could control the narrative. They're wrong, and we look forward to proving it. The IWGB called today a moment to celebrate after months of fighting to have their voices heard.