A UK employment tribunal has denied interim relief to former Rockstar Games employees who claim they were dismissed for unionizing activities. Employment Judge Frances Eccles ruled that it was unlikely the dismissals were primarily motivated by union membership. The decision came after Rockstar presented evidence suggesting that the employees were terminated for leaking confidential information in a Discord channel. Specifically, the company pointed to conversations containing details about an unannounced game, and other sensitive topics.
The request for interim relief, which would have temporarily restored the employees’ pay, was seen by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) as a critical step in addressing what they allege is union-busting behavior by the company. Despite the tribunal’s decision, the union remains hopeful ahead of the full hearing scheduled for later in 2026.
During the preliminary hearing in Glasgow, the judge highlighted procedural shortcomings on Rockstar’s part, including the absence of disciplinary hearings and the way the dismissals were handled without suspensions or opportunities for staff to respond. These concerns were echoed by over 200 Rockstar North staff and even drew the attention of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Legal expert Jake McManus commented on the high threshold required to secure interim relief in cases of alleged union busting, noting that applicants must demonstrate a strong likelihood of success to warrant the measure. He clarified that the dismissal of the interim relief claim does not determine the outcome of the upcoming full tribunal.
Rockstar, while denying any attempts at union busting, cited the presence of Scott Alsworth, a game writer and IWGB representative, as a security risk, alongside other disclosures in employee communications. As the parties prepare for the full hearing, the outcome of this case is closely watched by industry and legal observers alike.

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A UK employment tribunal denied interim relief to former Rockstar Games employees claiming dismissal for union activities. The judge ruled it unlikely the terminations were primarily union-motivated, as Rockstar presented evidence of confidential information leaks in Discord channels about unannounced games. While the tribunal noted procedural issues in how Rockstar handled the dismissals, the high legal threshold for interim relief wasn't met. The full hearing is scheduled for 2026, with the case drawing attention from over 200 staff members and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

UK Tribunal Denies Interim Relief to Former Rockstar Employees Amidst Unionization Dispute