Laid-off Ubisoft Halifax workers accept settlement with France-based video game company

The union representing 61 laid-off Ubisoft workers in Halifax says the former employees have voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of a settlement with the video game company.

A release from the Game and Media Workers Guild of Canada (CWA Canada Local 30111) says the terms of the settlement and details on compensation are confidential and won’t be released.

Paris-based Ubisoft announced in January that it was closing its Halifax production studio, which affected 61 unionized and 10 non-unionized employees.

2:01 Video game developer Ubisoft closes Halifax office

The sudden closure was announced three weeks after CWA Canada was certified to represent those 61 members at Ubisoft Halifax, most of whom were supporting a mobile version of the company’s best-known franchise, Assassin’s Creed.

For its part, the company denied the closure was related to unionization but said it was linked to “cost-optimization.”

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The Halifax office was Ubisoft’s first to unionize in North America.

After the closure, workers held rallies in Halifax and the union filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Labour Board.

In a statement, CWA Canada president Carmel Smyth said the settlement was not an easy negotiation but that Ubisoft acted in good faith and in a professional manner.

“The success of the negotiation was directly attributable to the solidarity our members showed, their resolve in holding Ubisoft to account, the collecting and sharing of information, and remaining steadfast in advocating for their rights as unionized workers,” Smyth said.