An employment tribunal in the UK has turned down a plea from former Rockstar Games employees seeking interim pay as they await a comprehensive hearing regarding their termination. This development was reported by both Bloomberg and IGN. The controversy began when Rockstar dismissed 34 employees last year, with 31 based in the UK and three in Canada. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has accused Rockstar of engaging in “union busting,” while the game developer asserts that the employees were let go for allegedly leaking sensitive information on a Discord channel.

The tribunal proceedings spanned two days last week. Despite the denial of interim relief, IWGB president Alex Marshall remains optimistic about the upcoming full tribunal. In a statement, Marshall expressed confidence that the tribunal will ultimately find Rockstar’s actions against the union to be not only unfair but also unlawful. He noted that the very fact a hearing was granted underscores the strength of their case, pointing out that Rockstar failed to substantiate their claims or counter allegations of unfair and malicious conduct.

In response, a Rockstar Games spokesperson conveyed regret over the necessity of the dismissals but maintained that the decision was justified, citing the tribunal’s outcome as support. However, both Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, have yet to provide further comments despite requests from Bloomberg and IGN.

Meanwhile, Rockstar continues to work on the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, which experienced a delay from its initially planned release in May to a new launch date of November 19th.