Game workers at Ubisoft Halifax file to unionize with CWA Canada

HALIFAX (June 18, 2025) – Workers at video game company Ubisoft in Halifax have filed to unionize with media union CWA Canada.

The union filed with the Nova Scotia Labour Board today after a majority of the nearly 60 staff signed union cards. 

The labour board is expected to order a secret ballot vote soon. Following certification, it will be a wall-to-wall bargaining unit that includes producers, programmers, designers, artists, researchers and development testers.

The move comes almost a year after nearly 120 game workers at BGS-Microsoft in Montreal joined the union.

“Unionizing with my coworkers at Ubisoft Halifax is important to me so that we have the strength needed to protect what we have today and to fight for our tomorrow,” Senior Server Programmer Thomas Gillis said. “With no end in sight to the industry-wide turbulence that sees studios shutter on releasing games fans love, it is up to us, the workers, to organize and demand a say in our labour, art and future.”

CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth welcomed the new members: “We are delighted to have this talented and committed group join us. They are part of a generation that is making life at work so much better for everyone.”

CWA Canada is the country’s only all-media union, representing 6,000 workers at the CBC, The Canadian Press, APTN, and newspapers tech, digital media, and other companies coast to coast.

Mission Statement from Ubisoft Halifax workers:

As the workers of Ubisoft Halifax, we are proud to be part of a global legacy that began with the Guillemot family and now spans thousands of talented individuals around the world. Our labour powers the stories, art, gameplay, and technology that define Ubisoft’s success. Within our own studio, we believe something truly special has been built: a diverse and talented team united by collaboration, respect, and a shared passion for making great games. It is from a place of pride that we announce our unionization with CWA Canada on June 18, 2025.

In an era marked by industry-wide uncertainty, studio closures, layoffs, and increasing instability, we want to make clear our commitment to one another and to our craft. We believe that creativity flourishes when workers feel secure, supported, and empowered. We are unionizing not in opposition to Ubisoft, but in partnership, with the goal of ensuring our studio remains a beacon of equity, excellence, and innovation. 

Ubisoft Halifax has long been shaped by values we deeply admire. Our studio proudly reflects near-gender parity, a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and a culture of inclusion. We are aligned with Ubisoft’s vision of colleagues, culture, content, and community, and we believe our union will reinforce these pillars. Through collective action, we can ensure that all workers, especially those from historically marginalized communities or in undervalued roles, are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect.

This commitment to equity is not new. We’ve shown it through our leadership and participation in Ubisoft’s Employee Resource Groups, and it resonates through every level of our studio, from our most senior staff to our newest team members.

Unionizing gives us, the workers, a meaningful voice among decision-makers, a voice that will help shape the future of Ubisoft Halifax and the industry at large. Together, we will continue to build timeless experiences for players and forge a modern, compassionate, and resilient workplace for all who contribute to our craft.

Signees:

Jon Huffman

Britt Newstead

Vincent Fellows

TJ Gillis

Robin Poirier

Kira Wigg

Sydney Morton

Robert Tracey

Tarrah Campbell

Athirah Afwina

Julia Roberts

Tina Micklethwaite

Monica Brown

Dmytro Sobko

Greg King

Ryan Miller

Talah Al Sharkawi

Cody Allen-Romkey

Aaron Malley

Kaitlyn Archambault

James Dalziel

Derrick Ma

George Greer

Tianqi Zhou

Emily Wang

Megan Brock

Manjot Singh

Pavlo Parovinchak

Tabea Marzlin

Martino DeLeon

Jordan Long

Gretchen Black-Demers

Yanfei Wang

Casey Davies

Elliott Davis

Anastasia Gvozdeva

Camille Hunt

Ming Li

Ryan Nguyen