In early 2024, Activision Blizzard, now under Microsoft's ownership, sent an email to its employees in the Stockholm office, announcing the discontinuation of a highly valued company benefit. This decision inadvertently sparked a union effort among the staff.
IGN has learned that in the fall of the previous year, over one hundred employees at the Stockholm office of mobile game maker King formed a union club with Unionen, Sweden's largest trade union. This group has been recognized and is now in dialogue with company management, aiming to secure a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will govern their work environment, policies, and benefits in the future.
In Sweden, unions operate differently from those in the U.S. Eligible workers can join a trade union at any time, regardless of their company's union status. Approximately 70% of the country's workforce is involved in a trade union, thanks to supportive laws. These unions negotiate broadly on working conditions such as salaries and sick leave, and individual membership can offer additional benefits.
However, forming a union club and securing a CBA adds another layer to union membership in Sweden. When enough employees join the same union at a company, they can vote to establish a union board to negotiate a CBA. This agreement can secure workplace-specific benefits similar to U.S. union contracts, and local union boards can gain representation at the highest levels of company management, influencing major decisions. This is what has occurred at King Stockholm, following a trend seen at other Swedish gaming companies like Paradox Interactive and, more recently, 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 prior to 2024, union activity at the company was minimal. There was a dedicated Slack channel for union discussions, but it was largely unused, with only about nine or ten members.
However, in early January, employees received an email from management announcing the end of a unique benefit: a free, private doctor for themselves and their families, which had been introduced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This doctor, reportedly hand-picked by then-CEO Bobby Kotick, became immensely popular among the staff. She was praised for her responsiveness, support during the pandemic, and empathy towards employees' health needs. Many staff members relied on her for all their healthcare needs.
The sudden removal of this benefit, shortly after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, came as a shock. Employees were given only a week's notice, forcing them to scramble for new healthcare options. Although private health insurance was offered as a replacement, Falck noted that it did not match the personal touch and effectiveness of the previous benefit. "You have to go through a portal and talk to a nurse every time you want an appointment," she explained. "It's not the same personal experience of having a doctor who cares for you and supports you."
The announcement led to widespread discussion and discontent among employees, with many voicing their concerns in the Stockholm general Slack channel. "We had no bargaining power," Falck said. "If we had a CBA in place, we could have negotiated with our employer."
In response, Falck revitalized the union Slack channel, which quickly gained traction, reaching 217 members. Over the following months, the group organized and contacted Unionen representatives, leading to an official vote in October 2024 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 held several meetings with Activision Blizzard HR to establish communication protocols. Falck describes the company's response as "neutral," which aligns with Sweden's legal protections for unions and Microsoft's public commitment to a "neutral approach" toward unions. Reports from other newly-formed unions within Microsoft suggest this approach is being applied globally.
While it's too late to reinstate the private doctor benefit, Falck and her colleagues are focused on securing a CBA to protect other valued benefits from similar abrupt changes. "It comes down to being able to protect the benefits we have with agreements," Falck said. "We want to ensure that any changes are negotiated and we have influence over them."
Other issues on the union's agenda include salary and information transparency, as well as protection and transparency around company reorganizations and layoffs. Most importantly, Falck emphasizes the importance of having a voice in workplace decisions for the benefit of all employees. Unionen Stockholm organizer Timo Rybak highlights the value of unionizing: "The whole idea of unionizing in Sweden is based on both parties having influence and discussing matters at the table. It's about employees helping their employer understand the everyday work, which is unavailable to any company president or HR representative."
Rybak also notes that Swedish labor laws favor employers, but unionizing helps employees understand and protect their rights, particularly important in industries like game development with a large number of immigrant workers. Falck adds that the union has already benefited from sharing information on employee rights, helping many European and American game developers at King better understand their entitlements and advocate for themselves.
For Falck and her colleagues, forming a union club at King was initially a response to an unpopular change, but its ultimate purpose is to protect what they value about their job and the 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."
