Ubislop lobbying the french government to let them fire gamedevs even faster due to extenuating "market conditions". 
These #layoffs have more to due with Verizon losing 7,000 postpaid customers than restructuring for a grander future.
👉🏾 #Verizon is laying off over 13,000 workers https://www.theverge.com/news/824970/verizon-layoffs-13-percent-employees
Mince Pie Butty
boosted
Rockstar North Faces Union-Busting Allegations as 200+ Staff Condemn Firing of 31 Employees
One of Scotland’s largest games studios, Rockstar, is at the centre of a major industrial dispute, with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) accusing the company of “union-busting” and initiating legal action following the abrupt dismissal of 31 employees.
The move has been met with widespread condemnation from staff. In a letter to senior management, more than 200 Rockstar North employees condemned the sackings and demanded the immediate reinstatement of their colleagues, all of whom in the UK were members of the IWGB.
The dispute stems from the abrupt dismissal of dozens of staff earlier this month. Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, initially cited “gross misconduct” before later alleging the fired employees had leaked sensitive company information.
Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, told IGN that the company was ‘proud of its culture,’ and the company stated the sackings were ‘in no way related to people’s right to join a union.’
This claim has been firmly rejected by staff and the IWGB. Union reps allege the workers were “fired illegally for unionising” via a private, legally-protected trade union Discord channel. The IWGB has filed a legal claim against Rockstar for what it calls a clear case of “victimisation and collective dismissal.”
“We are confident that what we’ve seen here is plain and simple union busting, and we will mount a full legal defence,” said Alex Marshall, IWGB president. “Employers like Rockstar would do well to understand that private spaces such as trade union Discord servers have protections, and that their company’s contractual clauses do not supersede UK law.”
The Rockstar layoffs have already sparked protests outside Rockstar’s Edinburgh HQ. According to reports from RockPaperShotgun, union activity had intensified following the developer’s return-to-office mandate last year, with staff alleging the firings occurred shortly after the union hit the legal minimum for formal recognition.
The story has also escalated to a political level. Speaking in the Commons, Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine confirmed that several of her constituents were directly affected and that she had written to Rockstar for more information, with the government promising to take the matter forward to ministers. In addition, Annie Wells MSP contacted the Scottish Games Network directly, to ask for the issue to be added to the agenda for the planned Games CPG.
The IWGB has pledged to “pursue all avenues” to see its members reinstated and has vowed to hold further demonstrations.
Protest and Support Fund
Despite the postponement of today’s scheduled Cross-Party Group meeting on the games ecosystem, the IWGB has confirmed that a planned demonstration will go ahead this evening.
Protesters and supporters are set to gather outside Rockstar North’s headquarters on Holyrood Road at 5:00 PM today (Tuesday, November 18th). The group will then march from the studio to the Scottish Parliament to highlight their case.
In parallel with the legal and direct action, a crowdfunding campaign has been launched to support the workers affected by the Rockstar layoffs. The fund aims to provide immediate financial relief to those who have suddenly lost their income.
#edinburgh #games #grossMisconduct #layoffs #openLetter #rockstar #scotland #unionisation
Rockstar North Faces Union-Busting Allegations as 200+ Staff Condemn Firing of 31 Employees
One of Scotland’s largest games studios, Rockstar, is at the centre of a major industrial dispute, with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) accusing the company of “union-busting” and initiating legal action following the abrupt dismissal of 31 employees.
The move has been met with widespread condemnation from staff. In a letter to senior management, more than 200 Rockstar North employees condemned the sackings and demanded the immediate reinstatement of their colleagues, all of whom in the UK were members of the IWGB.
The dispute stems from the abrupt dismissal of dozens of staff earlier this month. Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, initially cited “gross misconduct” before later alleging the fired employees had leaked sensitive company information.
Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, told IGN that the company was ‘proud of its culture,’ and the company stated the sackings were ‘in no way related to people’s right to join a union.’
This claim has been firmly rejected by staff and the IWGB. Union reps allege the workers were “fired illegally for unionising” via a private, legally-protected trade union Discord channel. The IWGB has filed a legal claim against Rockstar for what it calls a clear case of “victimisation and collective dismissal.”
“We are confident that what we’ve seen here is plain and simple union busting, and we will mount a full legal defence,” said Alex Marshall, IWGB president. “Employers like Rockstar would do well to understand that private spaces such as trade union Discord servers have protections, and that their company’s contractual clauses do not supersede UK law.”
The Rockstar layoffs have already sparked protests outside Rockstar’s Edinburgh HQ. According to reports from RockPaperShotgun, union activity had intensified following the developer’s return-to-office mandate last year, with staff alleging the firings occurred shortly after the union hit the legal minimum for formal recognition.
The story has also escalated to a political level. Speaking in the Commons, Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine confirmed that several of her constituents were directly affected and that she had written to Rockstar for more information, with the government promising to take the matter forward to ministers. In addition, Annie Wells MSP contacted the Scottish Games Network directly, to ask for the issue to be added to the agenda for the planned Games CPG.
The IWGB has pledged to “pursue all avenues” to see its members reinstated and has vowed to hold further demonstrations.
Protest and Support Fund
Despite the postponement of today’s scheduled Cross-Party Group meeting on the games ecosystem, the IWGB has confirmed that a planned demonstration will go ahead this evening.
Protesters and supporters are set to gather outside Rockstar North’s headquarters on Holyrood Road at 5:00 PM today (Tuesday, November 18th). The group will then march from the studio to the Scottish Parliament to highlight their case.
In parallel with the legal and direct action, a crowdfunding campaign has been launched to support the workers affected by the Rockstar layoffs. The fund aims to provide immediate financial relief to those who have suddenly lost their income.
#edinburgh #games #grossMisconduct #layoffs #openLetter #rockstar #scotland #unionisation
Cory Doctorow
and 2 others
boosted
Federal workers: The government shutdown may have ended, but we know that many of you are still dealing with its lasting repercussions.
We want to hear from you. Here's how to securely reach out: https://propublica.org/tips
Federal workers: The government shutdown may have ended, but we know that many of you are still dealing with its lasting repercussions.
We want to hear from you. Here's how to securely reach out: https://propublica.org/tips
Lisa Melton
boosted
Very displeased with one of my Alma Maters!
#Cornell Reaches Deal with #Trump Admin to Restore #Research #Funding
The Ivy League #university had warned of #layoffs after the Trump admin stripped it of funds this year. The cuts were among the deepest in higher #education.
#law #FirstAmendment #AcademicFreedom #extortion
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/us/cornell-deal-trump-administration.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
In April, the #Trump admin abruptly froze planned federal #research #funding for the #university. The govt had been scrutinizing #Cornell after accusing it of racial discrimination & antisemitism, & the university acknowledged receiving dozens of stop-work orders.
University leaders made clear that the #school was feeling extraordinary financial strain. The university has been considering issuing about $1 billion in bonds.
#law #FirstAmendment #AcademicFreedom #extortion #Autocracy #fascism
In June, #Cornell University leaders warned that they anticipated #layoffs & had begun what they described as “a comprehensive review of programs & head count across the university,” where the work force had climbed by more than 15% in about 4 years.
The suspension of federal #funding turned that #growth into a #crisis.
#law #FirstAmendment #AcademicFreedom #BrainDrain #extortion #Trump #AbuseOfPower #Authoritarianism #Autocracy #Dictatorship #fascism #Tyranny #MafiaState
Very displeased with one of my Alma Maters!
#Cornell Reaches Deal with #Trump Admin to Restore #Research #Funding
The Ivy League #university had warned of #layoffs after the Trump admin stripped it of funds this year. The cuts were among the deepest in higher #education.
#law #FirstAmendment #AcademicFreedom #extortion
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/us/cornell-deal-trump-administration.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
"The story of Trump is that the worse it gets for him, the more obvious it is that he’s losing, the more desperate and extreme he gets. That means we can’t sit back and relax, counting the days until the midterms and a beautiful blue wave."
~ Steven Beschloss
#Trump #Republicans #shutdown #food #hunger #children #SNAP #WIC
/6
"For now, the affordability issue belongs to Democrats. Everything the administration is doing on the economy not only won’t make things better, it’s already unpopular. Tax cuts for the wealthy, tariffs, cutting off benefits to low-income people — they can say it’s going to improve the average person’s life, but that average person isn’t going to buy it."
~ Paul Waldman
#Trump #economy #TaxCuts #EconomicElites #food #groceries #layoffs #JobMarket #affordability
/7
https://paulwaldman.substack.com/p/the-affordability-issue-belongs-to
Lisa Melton
boosted
#Layoffs accelerated in October, pushing 2025 job cuts to levels typically seen in a #recession, acc/to newly released data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a private firm that tracks workplace reductions.
#US employers have announced 1.1 million layoffs so far this year — the largest reading since the pandemic recession & on par with 2008 & 2009 job cuts during the Great Recession, the firm’s figures show.
#economy #Trump #tariffs #inflation #trumpcession
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/06/job-cuts-accelerate-october-layoffs-trump/
“We’re entering new territory with these #layoffs in October,” said John Challenger, CEO of the consulting firm that tracks job losses. “We haven’t seen mega-layoffs of the size that are being discussed now — 48,000 from UPS, potentially 30,000 from Amazon — since 2020 & before that, since the #recession of 2009. When you see companies making cuts of this size, it does signal a real shift in direction.”
Recent #layoffs, the data shows, have been concentrated in technology, retail, service & warehousing jobs. Employers announced >153,000 job cuts last month, a 183% increase from the month before, marking the worst October for layoffs since 2003, the Challenger report said.
The government #shutdown, now in its 2nd month, has left policymakers, investors & economists [conveniently] without official #data at a critical moment.
#economy #Trump #tariffs #inflation #recession #trumpcession
The data includes a recent spate of #layoffs at major companies such as UPS, Amazon & Target, & adds to growing concern about a labor market slowdown.
Employers cited #CostCutting & #ArtificialIntelligence as the top 2 reasons for job reductions in October.
#economy #Trump #tariffs #inflation #recession #trumpcession
“We’re entering new territory with these #layoffs in October,” said John Challenger, CEO of the consulting firm that tracks job losses. “We haven’t seen mega-layoffs of the size that are being discussed now — 48,000 from UPS, potentially 30,000 from Amazon — since 2020 & before that, since the #recession of 2009. When you see companies making cuts of this size, it does signal a real shift in direction.”
#Layoffs accelerated in October, pushing 2025 job cuts to levels typically seen in a #recession, acc/to newly released data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a private firm that tracks workplace reductions.
#US employers have announced 1.1 million layoffs so far this year — the largest reading since the pandemic recession & on par with 2008 & 2009 job cuts during the Great Recession, the firm’s figures show.
#economy #Trump #tariffs #inflation #trumpcession
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/06/job-cuts-accelerate-october-layoffs-trump/
The data includes a recent spate of #layoffs at major companies such as UPS, Amazon & Target, & adds to growing concern about a labor market slowdown.
Employers cited #CostCutting & #ArtificialIntelligence as the top 2 reasons for job reductions in October.
#economy #Trump #tariffs #inflation #recession #trumpcession
#Layoffs accelerated in October, pushing 2025 job cuts to levels typically seen in a #recession, acc/to newly released data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a private firm that tracks workplace reductions.
#US employers have announced 1.1 million layoffs so far this year — the largest reading since the pandemic recession & on par with 2008 & 2009 job cuts during the Great Recession, the firm’s figures show.
#economy #Trump #tariffs #inflation #trumpcession
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/06/job-cuts-accelerate-october-layoffs-trump/
"Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM"
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/technology/ibm-layoffs-ai.html
Tim W RESISTS
boosted
And… so it begins⚠️ Is your #tech job on the chopping block - just to fund new #AI investments? That seems to be happening a lot. Corps gotta get that $$ for #ArtificialIntelligence buildouts from somewhere, no? So the #billionaires are betting the farm, while the working class suffers. Nothing to see here, carry on. #jobs #labor #Layoffs
A tweet listing recent layoff announcements from various companies, including employee counts and indicating a weakening labor market. The companies mentioned are UPS, Amazon, Intel, Nestlé, Accenture, Ford, Novo Nordisk, Microsoft, PwC, Salesforce, and more…
Image features a collage highlighting corporate layoffs in 2023, listing companies alongside their CEOs and net worths. It includes Amazon (30,000 employees), Intel (24,000), Microsoft (7,000), Salesforce (4,000), Paramount and more.
GTA VI developer accused of union busting in mass firings / @theverge
｢ Rockstar Games, the developer of Grand Theft Auto VI, fired between 30 to 40 employees on Thursday, as previously reported by Bloomberg. According to the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), all of the employees fired were part of a private trade union Discord chat and were either already union members or attempting to organize a union at Rockstar ｣
https://www.theverge.com/news/811999/gta-vi-rockstar-games-union-busting