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French union STJV (Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo, or Video Game Workers’ Union) has called for a strike within Ubisoft’s French entities on October 15, 16, and 17.
The trigger for this call for strike is the video game giant’s decision to require in-office presence at least three days a week for all employees within its French entities, after five years of remote work. However, the STJV also highlights other issues, focusing on three main demands:
- Firstly, the union is calling for a negotiated agreement on remote work. As it stands, the STJV argues that a forced return to in-office or hybrid work will have serious consequences for teams, as many employees have structured their lives around remote work. The union claims the new work conditions would result in “the loss of our colleagues’ jobs, the disorganization of many game projects, and the drastic increase in psychosocial risks for those who remain.” The STJV is advocating for remote work or in-office work to be chosen freely on a monthly basis, rather than being calculated weekly, to maintain greater flexibility.
- Following the “failure” of wage negotiations in February, and more recently concerning profit-sharing, the STJV considers the proposals made by management to be “inacceptable” and the negotiation conditions to be “appalling.”
The union is thus demanding a salary increase to compensate for the decline in living standards caused by the high inflation of recent years. The STJV also insists on the “restoration of the profit-sharing at a 60% objective. The end of the gender pay gap and a higher increase in low salaries.” - Lastly, the union is calling for “the implementation of a “social dialogue” worthy of the name”, accusing the company of “confusing dialogue with monologue.”
The union also refers employees to its summary of French laws regarding strike, reminding Ubisoft staff that this right is guaranteed by the constitution.
This call for a strike comes as the company faces tough times: the game Star Wars Outlaws received a lukewarm reception, and the next Assassin’s Creed title has been delayed. The company has lowered its financial forecasts, causing its stock to drop once again. Ubisoft’s share price has fallen by more than 60% over the past year.
We will, of course, continue to follow developments at Ubisoft.
