Private Doctor's Removal Ignites Union at Candy Crush Developer

In early 2024, Microsoft, the new owner of Activision Blizzard, sent an email to employees at its Stockholm office announcing the discontinuation of a popular company benefit, inadvertently sparking a union effort.

Last fall, over one hundred employees at King's Stockholm office formed a union club with Unionen, Sweden's largest trade union. This group has been recognized and is in dialogue with company management to secure a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to enhance their work environment, policies, and benefits.

Unions in Sweden differ from those in the U.S., allowing workers to join a trade union at any time, regardless of company organization. Approximately 70% of Swedes are involved in a trade union, and the country's laws are more union-friendly. Trade unions negotiate sector-wide conditions like salaries and sick leave, while individual membership can offer additional benefits.

In Sweden, forming a union club and securing a CBA adds another layer to union membership. If enough employees join the same union, they can vote for a union board to negotiate a CBA, securing workplace-specific benefits and representation at the highest levels of company management. This trend is growing in the games industry, as seen at companies like Paradox Interactive and Avalanche Studios.

The doctor is out

Kajsa Sima Falck, an engineering manager at King in Stockholm and a board member of King Stockholm’s Unionen chapter, shared that union activity was quiet before 2024, with a Slack channel for union discussion having only around nine or ten members.

In early January, however, employees received devastating news: the free, private doctor benefit, which had been highly valued during the COVID-19 pandemic, was being terminated. This doctor, reportedly selected by former CEO Bobby Kotick, was pivotal for staff healthcare. The abrupt one-week notice to find new healthcare options left employees scrambling.

King's office in Stockholm, Sweden.Employees were offered private health insurance as a replacement, but Falck noted it was inferior. "You have to go through a portal and talk to a nurse every time you want an appointment," she said, highlighting the loss of the personal touch provided by the private doctor.

The change sparked widespread discussion among employees, leading to a surge in union interest. The union Slack channel grew to 217 members, and by October 2024, the group voted to form a union club with a union board at King Stockholm. [IGN reached out to Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King for comment but did not receive a response.]

No gods, only King

Since its formation, the King union has engaged with Activision Blizzard HR to establish communication protocols. Microsoft's neutral stance on unions aligns with legal protections in Sweden and global reports from other newly-formed unions within the company.

Falck and her colleagues understand that restoring the private doctor benefit is unlikely, but they aim to negotiate a CBA to protect other valued benefits. "It comes down to being able to protect the benefits we have with agreements to ensure we have influence over changes," Falck explained, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding unique benefits offered by King and Microsoft.

Other key issues include salary and information transparency, as well as protections around company reorganizations and layoffs. Unionen Stockholm organizer Timo Rybak highlighted the value of unionization: "The whole idea of unionizing in Sweden is based on both parties having influence and discussing matters at the table." This approach ensures employees can contribute their insights to improve workplace conditions.

Falck noted the educational benefits of unionizing, particularly for the diverse workforce at King, which includes many European and American game developers unfamiliar with their rights in Sweden. Through organizing, employees can better understand and advocate for their rights.

For Falck and her colleagues, the union effort began as a response to an unpopular change but aims to protect the aspects they cherish about their job and company culture. "It's just a completely different world and a different company that we're getting used to. So we want to protect what is King, what is the culture, what are the benefits."