A Launch We Didn’t Choose: The Rockstar Game Workers Union’s Fight for Survival and Solidarity

May 31, 2026May 31, 2026 admin Unions

When the Rockstar Game Workers Union prepared to unveil itself publicly, the plan was to celebrate a quiet milestone: 10% union membership at a single studio. That threshold was a necessary step toward formal recognition. It was meant to be a moment of hope.

Instead, management fired 31 of their members. No warning. No representation. No right of appeal.

What was supposed to be a launch became a legal battle, a global protest movement, and an industry-wide reckoning. But here’s what the company didn’t expect: the union didn’t die. It grew.

End the Exploitation: It’s Time for a Total Ban on Zero-Hours Contracts

May 28, 2026May 28, 2026 admin Reforms

The fight for decent work has reached a critical juncture. Campaigners, unions and anti-poverty organisations are united in one clear demand: ministers must press ahead immediately with a full ban on zero-hours contracts. Despite a noisy backlash from business lobby groups, the moral and economic case for ending this form of precarious work has never been stronger. Delaying the promised zero-hours contract ban will only deepen insecurity for over a million workers and trap more families in poverty.

The Employment Rights Act received royal assent last year, promising the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. At its heart is the long-awaited right to a contract with guaranteed hours, effectively consigning exploitative zero-hours contracts to history. Yet business secretary Peter Kyle has allowed a planned consultation, originally due in January, to slip until late summer. Implementation may now be pushed into next year. For the parents juggling cancelled shifts, the warehouse operatives denied a mortgage and the care workers afraid to complain, every day of delay is a day too long.

“It’s Like Being Robbed”: The Hidden Toxicity of Having Your Ideas Stolen at Work – and What Must Be Done

May 23, 2026May 23, 2026 admin Work Environment

New research reveals that ‘knowledge theft’ causes profound anger and a sense of loss, but employers have a duty to step in and restore what was taken.

You share a carefully thought-out idea in a team meeting. Days later, a colleague presents it as their own to senior leadership. You are left sitting in silence, watching your hard work benefit someone else’s career.

If this has happened to you, you are not alone – and the damage is far more than just a bruised ego. According to a new study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, having your ideas stolen at work is a deeply toxic event that triggers real psychological harm, including intense anger and a profound sense of loss.

But there is good news. The same research, led by David Zweig and his team, identifies practical, worker-centred interventions that employers can – and should – use to stop the rot.

University Staff Stand Strong: Sheffield Hallam Employees Ready to Strike for Their Rights

May 11, 2026May 30, 2026 admin Strikes

In a powerful display of collective resolve, staff at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) have voted decisively in favour of strike action, sending an unmistakable message to university management: workers will not stand idly by while their livelihoods, pensions, and working conditions are dismantled.

The University and College Union (UCU) announced that its members have backed industrial action in response to proposed job cuts, deteriorating work conditions, and unwelcome changes to pension contributions. This is not a decision taken lightly — but it is a necessary one.

Excessive Workload Backlash: Employee About to Resign Silences Boss — ‘You Can Find a Replacement in Three Days, But My Health Won’t Recover’

May 3, 2026May 3, 2026 admin Health and Safety

A single conversation in an ordinary office has ignited a global discussion about excessive workload, employee burnout, and the fundamental right to protect one’s health.

The story, originally shared by Simon Ingari, captures a moment that millions of workers will recognise: an overworked employee finally says “enough” — and in doing so, shifts the power dynamic in a way that left the entire office speechless.