Five French Ubisoft Unions Call For Massive International Strike Over 'Cost-Cutting' and Ending of Remote Work (aftermath.site)
- Reference: 0180712630
- News link: https://it.slashdot.org/story/26/02/01/059206/five-french-ubisoft-unions-call-for-massive-international-strike-over-cost-cutting-and-ending-of-remote-work
- Source link: https://aftermath.site/ubisoft-union-strike-layoffs-remote-work-prince-of-persia/
The move follows a "series of layoffs and [2]cancellations " at Ubisoft, the article points out, plus what the company calls a "major organizational, operational and portfolio reset" that will lead to [3]more layoffs and cancellations announced [4]last week . Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot even sent an end-of-day message warning that management continues to "make difficult decisions, including stopping certain projects" and "potentially closing select studios," an [5]earlier article points out :
> Slipped in between the grand vision and subtle threats was the reversal of a popular hybrid work-from-home policy that would have a direct impact on everyone working at Ubisoft. Staff would be back in the office five days a week, but with the promise of a generous number of work from home days. "The intention is not to question individual performance, but to regenerate our collective performance, which is one of the key elements in creating the best games with the required speed," Guillemot wrote.
>
> There was immediate confusion and frustration. One French union representing Paris Ubisoft developers called for a half-day strike. "It is out of the question to let a boss run wild and destroy our working conditions," Solidaires Informatique [6]wrote in a press release . "Perhaps we need to remind him that it is his employees who make the games...." [The article notes later that "There's concern that these shifts could make it harder for Ubisoft to recruit the talent it needs to improve, or even worse, actively drive away more of the company's existing veterans."]
>
> Particularly galling about the new return-to-office policy for some Paris staff was that they had only recently finished negotiating to ensure two days of work-from-home per week. "It's only been six months since the situation was more or less 'back to normal' and now it's shattered to the ground by Yves' sole decision with zero justification, zero documents, zero internal studies proving RTO increases productivity or morale, nothing," one developer told me. The specific details for the rollout of the return-to-office policy have yet to be communicated to everyone, could vary team by team, and might not go into effect for much of the year.
The "massive international strike" would take place from February 10-12, [7] Aftermath notes , citing the five French unions representing Ubisoft workers (CFE-CGC, CGT, Printemps Ãcologique, Solidaires Informatique, and STJV):
> "The announced transformation [at Ubisoft] claims to place games at the heart of its strategy, but without us, these games cannot exist," the [8]unions wrote in a joint release .... We are not fooled: rather than taking financial responsibility for layoffs, they prefer to push us out by making our working conditions unbearable. It's outrageous...."
>
> The Ubisoft unions hope that February's strike will be the largest yet, and they're coordinating with unions outside France to present a globally united front against the company.
A union representative at Ubisoft Paris even argued to Aftermath that because the CEO "needs to find 200€ million for the coming year, any person who has to quit because of this is a net benefit for him."
[1] https://aftermath.site/ubisoft-union-strike-layoffs-remote-work-prince-of-persia/
[2] https://games.slashdot.org/story/26/01/21/184240/ubisoft-cancels-six-games-slashes-guidance-in-restructuring
[3] https://aftermath.site/ubisoft-layoffs-prince-of-persia-remake-canceled/
[4] https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/59b4Z0RNls45UDTVV6gBNR/801a91a599b337779106af51cf08e539/Ubisoft_Jan_PR_draft_vF.pdf
[5] https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-stock-restructure-layoffs-cancel-delay-2000662684
[6] https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gwmurecu4lbyaqjzsyv2orat/post/3mcxfxwczwk2z?ref_src=embed&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.escapistmagazine.com%252Fnews-ubisoft-france-union-strike-solidaires%252F
[7] https://aftermath.site/ubisoft-union-strike-layoffs-remote-work-prince-of-persia/
[8] https://bsky.app/profile/stjv.fr/post/3mdiakqixmj2m?ref=aftermath.site
That'll show 'em! (Score:1)
Now there's a surefire way to stop company owners from thinking "gee, I wonder if we should replace these lunatics."
Re: (Score:2)
It is quite illegal to "replace" workers only because they use their legal right to negotiate working conditions. It would be a surefire way to get the company in trouble.
Re: (Score:2)
> It is quite illegal to "replace" workers only because they use their legal right to negotiate working conditions. It would be a surefire way to get the company in trouble.
Is it illegal to go out of business? They've already sold off anything of value to Tencent.
> Ubisoft shares plunged 34% on Thursday after the maker of the Assassin’s Creed video games announced a major organizational shake-up, alongside plans to shut studios and axe six games.
> The changes come following years of stock price decline, following the Covid-19 pandemic, after delays to major releases and financial struggles.
> The company, which is listed in Paris, said it expected to make an operating loss of around 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) in the financial year ending 2026, following a 650 million euro write-down caused by the restructuring.
[1]https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/22/ubisoft-shares-plummet-after-assassins-creed-maker-cancels-six-games.html [cnbc.com]
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/22/ubisoft-shares-plummet-after-assassins-creed-maker-cancels-six-games.html
Re: (Score:2)
> Is it illegal to go out of business?
Depends. We saw that if you're a US bank it definitely is, unless you're the competitor of the company which has nurtured the treasury secretary.
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
> They've already sold off anything of value to Tencent.
Seems like the typical case of workers producing things of value that can actually be sold, and management managing the "American" way fucking them over for "shareholder value".
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubled_Asset_Relief_Program
Re: (Score:2)
> Seems like the typical case of workers producing things of value that can actually be sold...
If the workers had produced "things of value" in the past couple of years instead of uninspired, repetitive and boring slop, the company would not have been bought by Tencent. But the didn't and now Tencent is cleaning house.
I for one think it's a good thing that incompetence has consequences. And I hope Ubisoft can find its way again, and eventually starts delivering good games again.
Re: (Score:2)
> If the workers had produced "things of value" in the past couple of years instead of uninspired
Well, you made the claim there were things of value to be sold, so go argue with yourself.
> I for one think it's a good thing that incompetence has consequences.
Sadly, not for the top-level managerial incompetence, which is most often the culprit, so your belief that everything is the fault of the people who have least to do with decision making will be proven wrong again and again.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't think you understand how games are made or how corporate decision making and execution works. Hint: it's a top-down system - 90% of the workers have very little say in what they do, they are hired to execute.
Re: (Score:2)
The workers produce what management tells them to, individual workers that don't produce what management requires would already have been fired. Any systemic failure is going to be down to management direction rather than failure of the lower level workers.
Re: (Score:2)
Not everything can be made to succeed. It's totally possible that the buggy whip craftsmen and their managers didn't get the memo about autos and other consumer taste changes.
Re: (Score:2)
So who is providing the value to get these gaming studios off the ground if not investors (including the founders' sweat equity)?
The French are doing it right (Score:2)
The fact that there are even five different unions for the same company is excellent. Too many problems with unions in the US are caused by the fact that there is no competition between unions, and you can get forced to join the union in some states. No competition is always a bad sign.
Perhaps other countries could learn something here.
Re: (Score:2)
> there are even five different unions for the same company
As an additional detail, this is the normal situation there, all of these unions exist nationwide; two have members everywhere, one targets middle managers, and two target workers of the IT industry. If another studio would start an unrelated strike, you'd likely see the same names. The idea of nationwide unions is they can ask members in other companies sharing similar preoccupations to join a strike nationwide.