Laid-off Ubisoft workers rally, call on video game developer to reopen in Halifax

A crowd of Ubisoft workers and supporters held a rally, urging the video game developer to reopen the studio that was closed earlier this month after a successful union drive.

A crowd of more than 50 Ubisoft workers and supporters braved the cold at a rally in downtown Halifax this morning, urging the video game developer to reopen the studio that was closed earlier this month after a successful union drive.

Camille Hunt, who worked as a junior associate producer at Ubisoft in Halifax until she was laid off along with 70 of her colleagues, called the timing of the shut down “very suspicious,” given that it happened three weeks after most staff members voted to unionize.

She braved the -10 C weather with former co-workers and supporters at a rally held in downtown Halifax’s Grand Parade square this morning.

The Paris-based company — best known for its Assassin’s Creed franchise — has said the move had nothing to do with a union drive that resulted in 60 employees joining the Canadian branch of the Communications Workers of America.

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

Instead, it says the closure is linked to “cost-optimization” and it respects employees’ right to unionize, adding that some of its existing offices are unionized.

Hunt and other workers at the rally were calling on the provincial government to speak up in support of the workers and push for the firm to reopen their Halifax office.

Their union has filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Labour Board accusing Ubisoft of shutting down the Halifax operation to keep out the union.