How the Removal of a Private Doctor Sparked a Union at the Developer of Candy Crush

In early 2024, a seemingly small change at Activision Blizzard’s Stockholm office—the removal of a popular employee benefit—unexpectedly ignited a significant unionization effort. Microsoft, Activision Blizzard's new owner, eliminated a free, private doctor service for employees and their families, a benefit highly valued since its introduction during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision, communicated with only a week's notice, prompted widespread discontent among staff who had grown accustomed to and reliant upon this personalized healthcare.

IGN learned that this event catalyzed the formation of a union club at King’s Stockholm location, with over one hundred employees joining Unionen, Sweden’s largest trade union, in the fall of 2024. This group aims to secure a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to influence workplace conditions, policies, and benefits.

Swedish unionization differs significantly from the U.S. model. Membership is independent of company-level organization, resulting in a high union participation rate (approximately 70%). Unions negotiate industry-wide standards, while individual membership offers additional benefits. However, forming a union club and securing a CBA allows for company-specific negotiations, granting employees a stronger voice in workplace matters and access to higher-level company decision-making. This mirrors a growing trend within the Swedish gaming industry, with similar initiatives at Paradox Interactive and Avalanche Studios.

Kajsa Sima Falck, a King engineering manager and board member of the King Stockholm Unionen chapter, described the pre-2024 union presence as minimal, with only a handful of members. The abrupt cancellation of the private doctor service, however, sparked a surge in interest, rapidly increasing membership to 217. The subsequent formation of the union club in October 2024 followed months of planning and collaboration with Unionen. While Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King did not respond to IGN's requests for comment, Microsoft has publicly committed to a neutral approach towards unionization.

Although the lost doctor benefit is irretrievable, the union aims to secure a CBA protecting existing benefits and fostering greater transparency regarding salary, company reorganizations, and layoffs. The union also seeks to empower employees by providing a platform to share knowledge of employee rights, particularly beneficial for the diverse international workforce at King. Union organizer Timo Rybak highlighted the value of employee input in workplace decisions, emphasizing the unique perspective that employees bring to discussions about their work. For Falck and her colleagues, the union represents a means to safeguard the positive aspects of their workplace culture and benefits.