Ubisoft Barcelona Unions Take Legal Action Against Mandatory Office Return Policy

The unions representing Ubisoft's AAA and mobile game development studios in Barcelona have initiated a lawsuit against the company in response to its new policy requiring employees to work from the office for a minimum of three days per week. The lawsuit, filed in collaboration with the Spanish trade union Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT), seeks to overturn the return to office mandate and establish a collective agreement that safeguards remote working arrangements. According to an email sent to GamesIndustry.biz, despite ongoing negotiations, Ubisoft's management has yet to propose a solution since the lawsuit was filed on October 14. The proposed policy change would replace the current flexible remote work guidelines, which allow employees to work from home for up to 60% of the month, as chosen by the individual. The unions argue that Ubisoft's decision was made without adequate consultation or transparency, citing concerns that the offices are not equipped to accommodate all employees at once. Ubisoft has stated that the return to office policy is intended to foster team creativity and improve communication, but the unions counter that the company has failed to provide concrete evidence to support this claim. GamesIndustry.biz has contacted Ubisoft for a statement. This development follows a three-day strike by over 700 employees at Ubisoft France in September, as well as a one-day strike by employees at Ubisoft Milan in solidarity with their French counterparts, both of which were in response to the same return to office mandate.