The Ubisoft Workers of Montreal Union has initiated a petition aimed at safeguarding a hybrid work arrangement for its staff, and the effort has already attracted more than three hundred signatures. The campaign, first reported by Game Developer, was launched by the Game Workers Unite Montreal (GWU) collective on September 30, and it was announced through a series of posts on the union’s social‑media channels. The petition’s message is straightforward: every employee at Ubisoft Montreal is urged to add their name, and anyone who supports the cause is encouraged to reach out to friends, family, and colleagues to help grow the list of signatories.
Union organizers have specifically asked staff members to take advantage of break periods to sign the document in person, noting that the majority of the signatures have been collected through face‑to‑face interactions rather than online forms. The United Videogame Workers Union, a branch of the CWA, publicly endorsed the petition, praising the Ubisoft Montreal union for "leading the change in our collective struggle for dignified work and economic justice." In its statement, UVW‑CWA highlighted how return‑to‑office mandates are often imposed without meaningful consultation with the very workers who will feel the impact most acutely.
The union pointed to a range of affected groups, including parents juggling childcare, employees with disabilities, staff who have purchased homes far from the studio’s location, expatriates who relocated internationally to keep their jobs, and professionals who simply thrive in a remote or partially remote environment. According to UVW‑CWA, such top‑down policies represent "brutal cost‑cutting measures" that betray earlier agreements and place a human price on corporate decisions. The union argues that senior management must be held accountable for the personal and financial strain these policies generate. Ubisoft’s own rationale for the shift back to a full‑time office presence was outlined earlier in the year when the company restructured its development model into what it calls "Creative Houses." As part of that restructuring, Ubisoft instituted a return‑to‑office policy that requires all staff to be present in the studio five days a week, with a limited annual allowance for work‑from‑home days.
Marie‑Sophie de Waubert, senior vice‑president of studio operations, explained to GamesIndustry.biz that the goal is to "strengthen onsite collaboration and the collective dynamic across teams." She emphasized that in‑person interaction, she believes, is a crucial driver of efficiency, creativity, and overall success in an industry that remains highly competitive. De Waubert added that the company will eventually discuss the specifics of the new model with its various international locations, allowing for some flexibility as the approach evolves.
"The objective is really linked to the quality of our games and the quality of our creativity," she said, positioning the policy as one of several tools designed to help the newly formed Creative Houses regain momentum, improve team engagement, and deliver high‑quality titles. Chief financial officer Frederick Duguet echoed a similar sentiment, stating that the company will continue to engage with employees, their representatives, and individual teams to fine‑tune the arrangement.
He framed the policy shift as a means of "further boosting the collective performance for AAA projects," suggesting that the decision is driven by business imperatives rather than a desire to punish remote workers. The tension between Ubisoft’s management and its workforce is not new.
In February of the same year, the studio experienced a three‑day international strike in direct response to the restructuring plan and the return‑to‑office directive. Over 1,200 employees participated, according to Marc Rutschlé, a representative of the Solidaires Informatique union at Ubisoft Paris, who confirmed the figures to GamesIndustry.biz.
Ubisoft later released a statement indicating that 528 staff members had formally reported themselves as being on strike during that period. The current petition can therefore be seen as part of a broader, ongoing dialogue about work conditions at Ubisoft Montreal. By gathering signatures, the union hopes to demonstrate the depth of employee concern and to pressure senior leadership into reconsidering the rigidity of the new office‑only mandate. The union’s strategy of encouraging in‑person signing during breaks also serves a dual purpose: it fosters solidarity among coworkers and visibly underscores the collective nature of the demand.
Support from external labor organizations like UVW‑CWA adds weight to the campaign, framing it within a larger movement for fair labor practices across the video‑game industry. Advocates argue that hybrid work models—where employees split their time between a physical office and remote locations—can preserve the benefits of face‑to‑face collaboration while still accommodating the diverse personal circumstances of a global workforce. If the petition continues to grow, it may compel Ubisoft’s leadership to revisit its policies, potentially leading to a more nuanced approach that balances the company’s desire for onsite teamwork with the legitimate needs of employees for flexibility, work‑life balance, and accommodation of personal challenges. The outcome of this effort could set a precedent not only for Ubisoft’s other studios worldwide but also for the broader gaming sector, where debates over remote versus office work remain highly contentious.
In summary, the Ubisoft Workers of Montreal Union’s petition to preserve hybrid work has quickly amassed over 300 signatures, reflecting widespread employee unease with the current return‑to‑office mandate. Backed by the United Videogame Workers Union and situated within a context of previous strikes and ongoing labor negotiations, the campaign underscores a growing demand for more flexible, inclusive, and consultative workplace policies in the video‑game industry.