Ubisoft to reconsider compensation for laid off Halifax workers
The news comes after mounting pressure from labor union CWA Canada, which represents the majority of staff at the recently-shuttered Canadian studio.
Ubisoft has agreed to consider increasing the compensation offered to 71 laid off workers at Ubisoft Halifax.
The Canadian studio was shuttered shortly after the majority of employees voted to unionize under the CWA Canada banner.
Ubisoft suggested those unionization efforts didn't influence its decision to shut down the Assassin's Creed Rebellion developer, but CWA Canada representatives have been pushing the French publisher to prove the move was financially motivated.
Now, after days of pressure from the union, Ubisoft has agreed to meet with CWA Canada to discuss improving on the two months salary initially offered to laid off employees as compensation.
"After mounting anger, including over the fact that Ubisoft received $12 million in provincial money and tax credits, the company agreed today to meet with CWA Canada to discuss improving that compensation," reads a CWA Canada statement.
"However, workers say what they really want are jobs. Many had relocated their families to Halifax and now feel stranded. The union maintains that a global mega-corporation like Ubisoft, which has offices in Toronto, Winnipeg, and four locations in Quebec, should be finding other jobs for its highly specialized workers."
CWA Canada president Carmel Smyth said Ubisoft currently has over 4,000 workers in Canada and called on the company to relocate Halifax staffers. "There is no reason it can't find other work for everyone. If the office really is closing for economic hardship, why punish your workers?” added Smyth.
Last week, CWA Canada said it would "pursue every legal recourse" to defend the rights of staff impacted by the closure, and said the move raised "many questions" that had been left unanswered by Ubisoft.
The union subsequently contacted Ubisoft lawyers to demand documents, emails, and other information related to the closure of Ubisoft Halifax. CWA Canada said a Ubisoft spokesperson committed to providing relevant information at some point this week.