Rockstar will hold union vote right on top of Grand Theft Auto 6 release
It's going to be a busy November for Rockstar workers.
Rockstar employees will have the opportunity to vote on union recognition during a two-week period in November, directly preceding the release of the console version of Grand Theft Auto 6 on November 19. If the vote is successful, the IWGB Rockstar Game Workers Union would become the largest game industry union in the UK, empowering employees to voice opinions on various aspects such as pay, bonuses, overtime, redundancies, flexible working arrangements, and AI policies.
Negotiations between the union and Rockstar management began in July, but unionization efforts had been ongoing for a longer duration. The unionization process came under scrutiny in October 2025 when Rockstar fired 31 employees, which the IWGB accused of being the most blatant act of union busting in the gaming industry. Rockstar maintains that the dismissed employees were leaking information about GTA 6 through a public Discord server, and the matter is currently being heard in an employment tribunal in Scotland.
Rockstar Game Workers Union committee member Shanti Easton-Steel emphasized that this vote presents an opportunity to make gaming history by ensuring workers' voices are heard regarding decisions affecting them. She stressed the need for transparency and openness in management decisions, addressing issues like the gender pay gap, fluctuating overtime pay policies, and concerns about job security post-release.
Union president Alex Marshall highlighted that this vote is crucial for Rockstar staff, as it allows them to have a say in decisions shaping their daily lives. Rockstar has not commented on the vote, but the company's head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, stated that if the team wants a union, they will have one.
Written by urgent.news from PC Gamer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
