Developers at King, the Activision Blizzard-owned studio behind the popular mobile game Candy Crush, have successfully negotiated a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with management. This agreement, signed by the Swedish unions Sveriges Ingenjörer (Engineers of Sweden) and Unionen, comes just as a multi-union strike was set to commence.
The new CBA is slated to take effect on April 1, 2027. According to a press release from Sveriges Ingenjörer, the agreement will enhance employees' ability to influence their work conditions and guarantee rights to organize and receive timely information regarding changes such as reorganizations. King management informed union members via email that the decision to finalize the CBA was made to reduce uncertainty and that the company will collaborate with the unions in the interim to refine the agreement.
While Swedish workers generally have the option to join trade unions, King's developers formed a specific "union club" to negotiate a more tailored CBA. This development follows King's management decision in August to decline signing a CBA, stating that the company's existing benefits and operating model were optimal for its employees and operations in Sweden.
In response to the earlier refusal, several trade unions, including Unionen, Sveriges Ingenjörer, Akademikerförbundet SSR, Naturvetarna, and DIK, had called for a strike. The planned action was set to begin the day after this agreement was announced, with arbiters mediating the dispute. With the CBA now in place, the strike has been called off.
Camilla Frankelius, head of negotiations at Sveriges Ingenjörer, commented on the outcome: "This shows the power that comes from employees joining forces in their dedication for change and improvement. Without the fantastic engagement of our members at King, it would have been much more difficult to reach this agreement."