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

In early 2024, a significant change at Activision Blizzard's Stockholm office under its new owner, Microsoft, inadvertently sparked a union effort. The company announced the discontinuation of a highly valued employee benefit, leading to a surge in union activity among the staff.

Last fall, over one hundred employees at King, a mobile game maker and part of Activision Blizzard, formed a union club with Unionen, Sweden's largest trade union. This group has since been recognized and is engaging with company management to secure a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This agreement aims to enhance their work environment, policies, and benefits.

In Sweden, unions operate differently than in the U.S. Workers can join a trade union at any time, contributing to a unionization rate of around 70%. These unions negotiate sector-wide conditions like salaries and sick leave. However, forming a union club and securing a CBA allows employees at a specific company to negotiate additional workplace-specific benefits. This approach has been adopted by other Swedish gaming companies such as Paradox Interactive and Avalanche Studios.

Kajsa Sima Falck, an engineering manager at King in Stockholm and a board member of the Unionen chapter, explained that union discussions were minimal before 2024. A Slack channel dedicated to union matters had only about nine or ten members. However, in early January, an email from management announced the end of a cherished benefit: a free, private doctor service for employees and their families, initiated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This doctor, reportedly selected by former CEO Bobby Kotick, was highly valued for her responsiveness and empathy, becoming a crucial support system for the staff.

The sudden removal of this benefit, announced just a week before it was to end, left employees scrambling for alternative healthcare options. Although offered private health insurance as a replacement, Falck noted that it did not compare to the personal touch and support provided by their previous doctor.

The abrupt change sparked widespread discussion among employees, leading to a surge in union interest. The previously quiet union Slack channel saw a significant increase in members, reaching 217 by the time Falck spoke to IGN. This renewed interest led to the formation of a union club and the election of a union board at King Stockholm in October 2024.

Since its establishment, the union has engaged with Activision Blizzard's HR to establish communication protocols. While Microsoft has committed to a neutral stance on unions, the King union is focused on securing a CBA to protect other benefits from being removed without employee input. Key issues include salary transparency, information sharing, and protection against layoffs.

Falck emphasized the importance of unions in giving employees a voice in workplace decisions, a sentiment echoed by Timo Rybak, a Unionen Stockholm organizer. He highlighted that unionizing empowers employees to understand and protect their rights, especially in industries like game development with a significant number of immigrant workers.

The union effort at King, initially a response to an unpopular change, aims to safeguard the unique culture and benefits that employees value. As Falck stated, "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."