Ubisoft Barcelona staff strike over 51 layoffs

Ubisoft announced the dismissal of 51 employees – about 28% of its Barcelona studio – as part of a company‑wide cost‑cutting programme that also saw the closure of its Winnipeg and Belgrade sites. In response, workers organized by the Spanish union La Confederación General del Trabajo began a series of strikes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, scheduled from June 30 through mid‑July.

The strikers are demanding that the 51 laid‑off workers be rehired, a contractual guarantee that no further collective layoffs will occur for at least five years, the immediate implementation of previously agreed promotions, a remote‑work arrangement allowing 60% of work to be done from home, and a formal review of salary and benefit improvements. The action has drawn solidarity statements from unions in France and other countries, highlighting broader concerns about job security in the video‑game industry.