In early 2024, a significant change at Activision Blizzard's Stockholm office, under new ownership by Microsoft, inadvertently ignited a unionization drive. The removal of a highly valued employee benefit – a private company doctor for employees and their families – sparked widespread discontent and galvanized action.
IGN learned that over a hundred employees at King's Stockholm location subsequently formed a union club with Unionen, Sweden's largest trade union. This group aims to secure a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to influence workplace conditions, policies, and benefits.
Swedish unionization differs from the U.S. model. Swedish workers can join unions regardless of company organization, resulting in approximately 70% union membership nationwide. Unions negotiate sector-wide agreements, while individual membership offers additional benefits. However, forming a union club and securing a CBA provides workplace-specific advantages, including representation in upper management and a voice in major company decisions. This mirrors a growing trend in the Swedish gaming industry, previously seen at Paradox Interactive and Avalanche Studios.
Kajsa Sima Falck, an engineering manager at King and a union board member, explained that pre-2024, union activity was minimal. The company Slack channel dedicated to union discussions saw limited use.
The catalyst for change was the January 2024 announcement of the private doctor benefit's termination. This benefit, highly valued by employees, was removed with only a week's notice, forcing employees to find alternative healthcare options. While private health insurance was offered as a replacement, it lacked the personalized care of the previous arrangement.
This event prompted unprecedented discussion among King Stockholm employees, highlighting their lack of bargaining power without a CBA. Falck revived the union Slack channel, leading to a surge in membership, reaching 217 by the time of the interview. The group subsequently contacted Unionen, and in October 2024, voted to officially form a union club. (Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King did not respond to IGN's request for comment.)
Following its formation, the King union has engaged with Activision Blizzard HR, receiving a neutral response, consistent with Swedish labor laws and Microsoft's publicly stated neutral approach to unions. While the lost doctor benefit is irretrievable, the union aims to secure a CBA protecting existing benefits. Key areas of focus include salary, information transparency, protection against reorganizations and layoffs, and overall workplace influence.
Timo Rybak, a Unionen Stockholm organizer, emphasized the mutual benefit of unionization, enabling employees to share insights into daily operations with management. He also highlighted the importance of educating employees about their rights, particularly within the game development industry's diverse workforce.
Falck noted the union's success in sharing information about employee rights, benefiting many international developers unfamiliar with Swedish employment laws. The unionization effort, initially a response to a negative change, evolved into a means of preserving the company culture and benefits valued by its members. The union aims to safeguard King's unique benefits and culture in the face of future changes.
