Ubisoft employees in France called to strike over return-to-office mandate

French union STJV has called for workers at Ubisoft studios in France to strike for three days in October.

The union wants employees to down tools on October 15, 16, and 17 in protest over Ubisoft's recently announced return-to-office policy, which will require all staff to work in-office for three days each week.

STJV claims the policy is being rolled out "without any tangible justification or any consultation with the workers’ representatives."

"After more than five years of working efficiently in the current remote-work context, many of our colleagues have built or rebuilt their lives (family life, housing, parenthood, etc.) and simply cannot return to the previous working conditions," reads an STJV statement.

"Our employer knows this perfectly well. The consequence of its decision will be the loss of our colleagues’ jobs, the disorganization of many game projects, and the drastic increase in psychosocial risks for those who remain."

The union also claims Ubisoft has failed negotiate fair profit-sharing agreements with employees and suggested management has refused to listen to staff concerns. "Management was deaf to the proposals of the various employee representatives," adds the statement.

STJV decries Ubisoft wage structure, managerial practices, and "arbitrary" remote work policy

Ubisoft has multiple studios in France spread across Annecy, Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier, and Paris.

STJV wants the company to meet three key demands including a formal agreement on remote work that allows employees to freely choose when they work in-office.

The union is also demanding an immediate salary increase and has implored Ubisoft to address the gender pay gap and restore profit-sharing agreements. It also wants management to open a constructive "social dialogue" with workers. "Management seems indeed to confuse monologue with dialogue," adds STJV.

French workers have a constitutional right to strike, irrespective of whether they're a union member.

"Salaried workers can go on strike at any time, without notice. All you have to do is not come to work on the day(s) of the strike," explains STJV in an FAQ. "The only requirement is that your employer must know about the strike demands before you stop working: when joining a national call to strike from representative unions, that is already taken care of.

"For a strike to be legal, at least two salaried workers must take part in it. The only exceptions are if the employee is the company’s sole employee, or if they are responding to a national call to strike (like many of the STJV’s)."

If the strike goes ahead, it would be the second time Ubisoft workers in France have joined the picket line in 2024. Earlier this year, hundreds of employees walked out in protest of the "terrible" raises being offered by Ubisoft.

Game Developer has reached out to Ubisoft for comment.