Unions reportedly file lawsuit against Ubisoft’s return-to-office mandate, backing Barcelona studios
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Unions representing Ubisoft’s two Barcelona-based studios have reportedly brought forward a lawsuit against the publisher in association with the Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT).
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the lawsuit was filed over Ubisoft’s plans to change its remote working policy, which would require employees to return to the office at least three days a week.
Under the current arrangement, many employees are able to work from home for 60% of their monthly working days and can choose which days they enter the office. Some staff are also on entirely working-from-home schemes.
Should Ubisoft’s suggested new policy go ahead, all staff will be required to come to the office for 60% of each five-day week.
Back to work?
The unions’ lawsuit against Ubisoft marks the latest development in the publisher’s ongoing battle to get employees to return to the office around the world – an initiative which has already caused staff in France and Italy to go on strike.
Ubisoft reportedly claimed the mandate is in the interest of “team creativity” and “better communication”.
In Barcelona, the unions representing Ubisoft’s two studios have demanded that the publisher overturn its new mandate and protect remote working under a collective agreement, discontented with the policy change made “suddenly and without transparency”.
An email claimed that Ubisoft and the unions were open to negotiation, but that no new proposal has been made by the publisher since the filing of the lawsuit on October 14th, 2024.
The Barcelona studios affected develop triple-A games and free-to-play mobile titles, including Hungry Dragon, Hungry Shark Evolution and Might and Magic: Elemental Guardians.
