A Glasgow employment tribunal begins hearing the case of 31 workers dismissed from Rockstar North's Edinburgh office on September 10 and runs through October 16, in the weeks before GTA 6 launches on November 19. The workers were dismissed in October 2025. BNN Bloomberg and CityAM both reported the hearing dates on September 7. Their union, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain, alleges the dismissals were unlawful and is bringing the case against Rockstar Games.
The dispute turns on why the workers were let go. Rockstar's stated position: 'Individuals across the U.K. and Canada were dismissed for gross misconduct following the sharing of confidential company information, not because of alleged trade union membership or activity.' The company says the information was shared on a private Discord channel that the union set up. The IWGB's position is that workers were targeted for their union activity and that Rockstar compiled lists of employee names for the purpose of discriminating against them. The union also alleges no disciplinary process or right of appeal was provided. CityAM reports the IWGB's account of how dismissals were carried out: workers in the Edinburgh office 'were called into meetings, told they were being fired with immediate effect and escorted from the building,' while those working remotely 'were informed during phone calls lasting around two minutes before being locked out of their work accounts.'
Jason Lewis, one of the dismissed workers, said in a statement carried by BNN Bloomberg: 'We lost our jobs, our income, our community and the chance to see the game through to release after spending years helping to build it.' IWGB president Alex Marshall said in a statement reported by CityAM: 'We believe Rockstar has tried to get away with Grand Theft Employment Rights.' The tribunal will run five days a week through October 16. No decision will come before GTA 6's November 19 launch.