Rockstar HR Manager Says He Had "Little Interest" in Union Evidence Before Layoffs

A witness for Rockstar Games in the case brought by Garland & Others has told the court that he had "little interest" in evidence of union organising that an anonymous employee sent him. The material concerned unionisation efforts among staff, and it reached him before Rockstar laid off a substantial number of members of a union Discord server.

The timing is the crux of the dispute. The claimants argue that the dismissals amounted to union busting, so what management knew about organising activity, and when, goes directly to motive. By saying the tip did not register as significant, the HR manager is presenting the company's decisions as separate from the union activity that the workers say was the real reason for their dismissal. Whether a tribunal finds that account convincing will depend on how it weighs his testimony against the documents and other evidence entered in the case.

Labour organising in the games industry has drawn growing attention over the past few years, and disputes like this one are being followed closely by developers at other studios. A finding in either direction could influence how staff at large publishers think about joining or forming unions, and how companies respond when they hear about it.

The trial is still underway, so no verdict has been reached and the witness's account has not been tested in full. Further testimony is expected to show how the company handled the information it received and who made the decisions about the layoffs. Rockstar has been contacted for comment on the testimony.