Key Takeaways
- Ubisoft employees in France are being urged to go on strike due to a new return-to-office policy.
- A French union for video game industry workers criticizes Ubisoft’s proposed hybrid model, fearing job loss and psychosocial risks.
- Demands include a formal remote work agreement, salary increase, and better social dialogue.
As a long-time gamer and someone who has followed Ubisoft’s journey closely, I find myself deeply concerned about the current situation unfolding in France. Having spent countless hours immersed in the rich worlds of Assassin’s Creed, I never imagined that real-life events would mirror some of the challenges faced by the characters within those games.
All Ubisoft employees based in France have been invited to participate in an extended strike following the company’s recent implementation of a new work-from-office policy. Ubisoft boasts over 1,000 employees at its Paris office, making it the largest video game studio in the entire country of France.
Back in September, I learned through VentureBeat that Ubisoft, renowned for their epic Assassin’s Creed series, shared plans with their team about company-wide changes to our work arrangements. In an email penned by Marie-Sophie de Waubert, the Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, they mentioned their intention to implement a hybrid working model across all departments, aiming for at least three days in the office each week. However, a French union has since voiced concerns, suggesting that this policy might not be beneficial but rather detrimental to us employees.
The French Video Game Workers Union (STJV) has encouraged all Ubisoft employees in France to demonstrate their discontent with the company’s new hybrid work policy by participating in a three-day strike from October 15 to October 17. This action comes after similar backlash at Ubisoft’s Montreal office, following last year’s implementation of a similar return-to-office directive. Employees had previously been told they could continue working remotely for an extended period, but now find themselves unable to return to their previous work conditions, as many have adapted well to the current remote setup and are already productive after several years.
Ubisoft France October 2024 Strike
According to STJV, the worldwide implementation of Ubisoft’s hybrid work model might result in job losses, confusion within game development projects, and heightened psychosocial risks for employees opting to stay with Ubisoft. In her email, de Waubert admitted that the proposed changes could disrupt the routines and lives of certain employees. The communication, sent to staff following a dip in Ubisoft’s share prices in early September, emphasized that employees would be given time to adapt to the new working structure.
The STJV has presented three key requests: first, they want to establish a formal contract for remote work between management and labor unions; second, there is a call for an immediate wage increase to offset decreasing living standards over time; third, they aim to foster open dialogue that empowers employees’ voices. The strike announced by the STJV followed the breakdown of profit-sharing discussions between Ubisoft and its staff.
After a September 25 meeting with investors, Ubisoft disclosed plans for an internal evaluation aimed at enhancing its overall performance. Additionally, they admitted that the launch of Star Wars Outlaws didn’t meet expectations and pushed back the release date of Assassin’s Creed Shadows to February 14, 2025.
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2024-09-27 13:53