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UK Tribunal Denies Interim Relief for Fired Rockstar Staff, Court Filings Reveal Discord Evidence

The ruling highlights the high bar for interim orders ahead of a full hearing.

Overview

  • Employment Judge Frances Eccles rejected the IWGB’s bid for interim pay after a two-day hearing, finding it was not likely the principal reason for dismissal was union membership.
  • Rockstar maintains the 34 workers were dismissed for sharing highly confidential information in an IWGB Discord channel that included external participants, including a journalist and former staff.
  • Unsealed court filings reviewed by media included Discord messages, one referencing a 32-player session for an unannounced online service, a detail Rockstar called commercially sensitive.
  • The judgment noted no evidence of adverse consequences from the postings and referenced procedural concerns raised by claimants such as no disciplinary hearings, limited appeal opportunity, and alleged covert monitoring.
  • Both parties say the dispute now moves to a full tribunal, with the union stressing that interim relief is seldom granted and would have temporarily reinstated pay and, where applicable, visas.