Landmark Rockstar union busting tribunal will now conclude in November–over a month later than expected

The high-profile employment tribunal between Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar and a group of fired workers who claim they were dismissed in a "blatant" act of union busting will now conclude a month later than expected. 

A representative for the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), the trade union representing the fired Rockstar workers, confirmed that closing submissions from both sides will now take place on November 17 and November 18. People Make Games reporter Chris Bratt also shared the update on Bluesky.

The legal skirmish had initially been expected to conclude on October 16. 

"Rockstar's legal team requested additional time for certain claimants to have one day or more of cross-examination. The judge allowed this although we opposed it, believing the time initially allocated them to have been more than sufficient."

November 17 and November 18 were the soonest additional dates on which both legal teams could be available for closing submissions. 

The IWGB will stage a rally outside the Glasgow Tribunal Center on October 15 (tomorrow), the same day that Rockstar bosses Jennifer Kolbe and Rob Spampinato will answer questions before the tribunal.

Jordan Garland, one of the fired Rockstar workers and secretary of the IWGB Game Workers Branch, accused both executives of attempting to "rip our union out by its roots."

"After using moles to secretly monitor our private union space, it's finally Rockstar bosses' turn to come under scrutiny," he said in an IWGB diary note shared with Vertical Slice. "When Jennifer Kolbe and Rob Spampinato signed on the dotted line to sack me and 30 other union members, I doubt they imagined they’d one day face protests in the streets, demands for accountability in their workplace, and cross-examinations in court."

Rockstar continues to argue that it fired all 31 union members for sharing confidential information on Discord. The IWGB claims the Discord channel was private and used for union organising.