Rockstar Games employees in the United Kingdom are scheduled to vote on whether to recognize the IWGB Rockstar Game Workers Union from November 12 through November 26, 2026. The ballot period includes the scheduled November 19 launch of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI). The proposal concerns workplace issues such as pay, overtime and generative-AI policies; a separate employment tribunal concerns 31 dismissals.
What the proposed agreement would cover
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) says the proposed recognition agreement would give workers a say on pay and bonuses, overtime, layoffs, flexible working and generative-AI policies. That is a proposal about employee input, not a promise of particular pay changes or bonuses.
IWGB president Alex Marshall described recognition as a way for employees to have a voice in day-to-day workplace decisions. He cited pay, pensions, parental leave and overtime as examples of issues that matter to workers.
Rockstar’s reported position
IGN reported that Rockstar’s head of publishing said the company would follow the team’s preference on whether to have a union. That statement describes management’s position; the ballot is scheduled for November.
The tribunal over 31 dismissals is a separate case
The vote is separate from an employment tribunal concerning 31 workers dismissed in October 2025. The IWGB and workers allege the dismissals were related to union activity. Rockstar says the workers were dismissed for gross misconduct.
Closing submissions in the tribunal are scheduled for November 17–18, 2026, during the ballot period. NeoTeo previously covered Rockstar HR manager Charlie Kinloch’s testimony about his assessment of activity in a worker-organizing Discord server.
The ballot concerns Rockstar staff in the UK
The vote concerns Rockstar employees in the United Kingdom. The IWGB says that if the union is recognized, it would become the largest recognized union in the UK games industry.
