Last month, Grindr informed employees that they had two weeks to decide whether to relocate to a "hub" office location and work on-site two days per week or terminate their employment, according to the labour group Communications Workers of America. Through the end of August, about 80 employees -- roughly 45 per cent of Grindr's 180-person workforce -- had left the company due to the mandate, union organisers said.

Grindr offered a severance package for employees who could not or would not comply with the relocation requirement -- a move that the group described as an attempt "to silence workers from speaking out about their working conditions."

Grindr United-CWA member said: "These decisions have left Grindr dangerously understaffed and raises questions about the app's safety, security and stability for users. Grindr wants workers to be silenced and deterred from exercising our right to organise, regardless of the expense."

Grindr employees had announced their intent to unionise on July 20 through CWA, but the labour drive has not received formal recognition. The company announced its return-to-office mandate on 4 August.

The CWA has filed a formal complaint with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of Grindr employees, alleging that the company's actions amounted to unlawful retaliation.

"It is unimaginably disappointing that dozens of our colleagues have had to leave their jobs because Grindr management did not want to sit down with workers and respect our right to organise," Cortez added.

A Grindr spokesperson said: "We have full confidence in our team and their ability to continue to drive the business forward and make the world and lives of our users freer, more tolerant, and more just. We look forward to returning to the office in a hybrid model in October and further improving our team's productivity and collaboration."