Unprecedented strike by Ubisoft employees to maintain remote work

An unprecedented strike: Employees of Ubisoft, the giant of the video game sector, are called to stop working starting Tuesday, October 15, for a period of three days, in exchange for the end of remote work and the return to the office that the company announced. A call carried by several trade union organizations denouncing the decision without consultation.

The company wants its 4,000 French employees to return to their offices at least three days a week. Action rejected by Marc Rochlet, IT union delegate at Solidaires: “It is a completely unfair decision. We are retracting a right that employees have recently acquired. In the meantime, we have colleagues who have moved and bought houses… How will they do it when it comes to returning three days a week? We also have colleagues who work remotely for health reasons. There are a thousand Cause it's all good.

Ubisoft answers: It's to improve creativity. But some employees won't be able to return to the same extent as face-to-face. Like this union employee who wishes to remain anonymous. He now lives hundreds of kilometers away from headquarters in Paris: “I had to move, and as a result, I cannot return in person for three days. I will ask myself the question of leaving the company or not because I will have to choose between staying in the company or choosing for a better quality of life.”

According to unions, the departure of employees, including some rare profiles, could raise questions about video game production in France. Ubisoft management has not yet responded to our requests. Negotiations began on Thursday, October 10, regarding the remote work agreement. This is the second time this year that the French video game giant has faced a strike as it is going through a difficult time with slowing sales.