Private Doctor's Removal at Candy Crush Developer Triggers Union Formation

In early 2024, a significant change at Activision Blizzard, now under Microsoft's ownership, sparked a unionization effort at their Stockholm office. The catalyst was the removal of a highly valued company benefit—a private doctor service that had been provided to employees and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last fall, over one hundred employees at King's Stockholm location, a mobile game developer owned by Activision Blizzard, formed a union club with Unionen, Sweden's largest trade union. This group has been officially recognized and is in discussions with company management to secure a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). A CBA would govern their work environment, policies, and benefits moving forward.

In Sweden, union dynamics differ significantly from those in the U.S. Eligible workers can join a trade union at any time, and roughly 70% of the population participates in such unions. These unions negotiate broadly within their sectors over working conditions, salaries, and sick leave, while individual membership can offer additional benefits. Forming a union club and securing a CBA at a specific company, however, allows for tailored workplace benefits and a say in major company decisions, a model already seen at other Swedish gaming companies like Paradox Interactive and Avalanche Studios.

Kajsa Sima Falck, an engineering manager at King in Stockholm and a board member of the Unionen chapter, shared that prior to 2024, union discussions at the company were minimal. A dedicated Slack channel for union talks had only around nine or ten members. However, the situation changed dramatically in early January when employees received an email from management announcing the termination of the private doctor benefit, which had been highly valued since its introduction during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. The abrupt one-week notice forced employees to hastily seek alternative healthcare options.

The replacement offered was private health insurance, but according to Falck, it did not match the personal touch and effectiveness of the previous service. The change sparked widespread discussion among employees, leading to a surge in union interest. The union Slack channel quickly grew to 217 members, and by October 2024, the group voted to form a union club with a union board at King Stockholm.

Since its formation, the King union has engaged with Activision Blizzard HR to establish communication channels. Microsoft's stated neutral stance on unions has been consistent with their interactions so far. Although the private doctor benefit cannot be reinstated, the union aims to negotiate a CBA to protect other valued benefits and ensure employee influence over future changes.

Falck emphasizes the importance of protecting unique benefits and ensuring transparency in salary, company reorganizations, and layoffs. Unionen Stockholm organizer Timo Rybak highlights the value of unionization in giving employees a voice in workplace decisions, which is crucial in industries like game development with a significant number of immigrant workers. The union has already begun educating members on their rights, empowering them to advocate for themselves both individually and collectively.

For Falck and her colleagues, the union club's formation was a response to an unpopular decision, but its broader purpose is to safeguard the aspects of their job and company culture they cherish.