Ubisoft propose cutting up to 200 jobs at Paris headquarters, as unions reportedly agree three day strike

Following past week's question of cancellations and delays

Ubisoft person projected a circular of voluntary redundancies astatine their Paris headquarters, which could spot arsenic galore arsenic 200 jobs cut. These plans travel a large bloodbath of crippled cancellations and restructuring by the publishers past week, which came with a mandate demanding unit instrumentality to moving in-office 5 days a week (an yearly allowance of work-from-home days was portion of that proposal). All of that understandably drew the ire of unions representing Ubisoft workers, with a fig present having reportedly agreed to a 3 day-long onslaught adjacent month.

"In enactment with past week's announcements connected its caller operating exemplary and the acceleration of cost-reduction initiatives, Ubisoft International has initiated discussions regarding a imaginable Rupture Conventionnelle Collective, a collective, voluntary communal termination statement that could impact up to 200 positions astatine its office successful France," a Ubisoft spokesperson told IGN of the projected Paris layoffs. If those cuts bash spot 200 jobs eliminated, that would impact astir 18% of workers astatine Ubisoft HQ, whom IGN mention arsenic presently numbering astir 1100 successful total.

"At this stage, this remains a proposal, and nary determination volition beryllium last until a corporate statement is reached with worker representatives and validated by French authorities," the Ubisoft spokesperson continued. "The connection applies exclusively to Ubisoft International employees nether French contracts and has nary interaction connected different French entities oregon Ubisoft teams worldwide."

The national effect to these layoff plans appears to person been swift, with French fiscal insubstantial Les Echos reporting this greeting that each of the French unions representing Ubisoft workers person agreed to a 3 day-long onslaught acceptable to tally from February 10th to 12th. The 5 French unions - the Video Game Workers' Union (STJV), Solidaires Informatique, the CFE-CGC, the CGT, and Printemps écologique - are besides reported to beryllium reaching retired to unions extracurricular of France who correspond Ubisoft workers successful an effort to marque definite the pushback isn't constricted to a azygous country.

The Solidaires Informatique national antecedently called for a half-day onslaught connected January 22nd arsenic "an archetypal effect to the absurdity of absorption decisions". "It is retired of the question to fto a brag tally rampant and destruct our moving conditions,” they wrote astatine the time, successful comments addressed to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. "Perhaps helium needs to beryllium reminded that it is his employees who marque the games."

While the Rupture Conventionnelle Collective process requires immoderate unit departures arsenic portion of it to beryllium voluntary and taxable to presumption agreed upon by employees and unions, the question is what mightiness hap if Ubisoft don't extremity up viewing it arsenic having seen capable workers hold to springiness up their jobs. The reply successful that lawsuit could good beryllium regular aged layoffs, arsenic Ubisoft precocious inflicted connected The Division devs Massive and Ubisoft Stockholm aft a voluntary redundancy strategy astatine the erstwhile reportedly didn't get escaped of capable unit to fulfill Ubisoft management.