The Swedish-based Candy Crush Saga development team at King, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, has formally reached a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with management, promptly halting the planned multi-union joint strike against the company.
The Swedish Union of Engineers announced today that, after more than a year of negotiations with the company, the union and Unionen have jointly signed this collective bargaining agreement, and the strike notice against King studio has been formally withdrawn. The announcement stated: "The new agreement brings several improvements to rights, giving King employees greater say and more influence over their work environment. Employees will also gain legal organizational rights and the right to timely information when changes occur—such as restructuring or adjustments to working conditions."
King management sent an email to union members today announcing that the agreement will officially take effect on April 1, 2027. In the email, management stated that this move aims to eliminate uncertainty for employees. During the transition period before April, management will collaborate with various unions to adjust the agreement's content based on the company's actual operational situation.
In Sweden, most professionals can join industry-specific unions at any time to enjoy related benefits and protections. However, developers of Candy Crush Saga established a "union club" within King to negotiate a more targeted collective bargaining agreement that better addresses their specific needs. This August, King management told employees it would not sign any collective bargaining agreement, claiming that the company's "existing benefits package is more favorable to employees" and that the "current operating model best suits King's current development stage, including our operations in Sweden."
In response, both Unionen and the Swedish Union of Engineers called on King employees to initiate a strike, and three other organizations—the SSR Professional Association, the Natural Scientists' Association, and the DIK Union—subsequently joined the strike. If no agreement had been reached, the strike was scheduled to begin tomorrow. Previously, officials had appointed an arbitrator to mediate, and a settlement has now been reached. With the implementation of the collective bargaining agreement, the strike has been officially canceled.
Camilla Frankelius, head of negotiations for the Swedish Union of Engineers, stated: "This clearly demonstrates the power of employee unity in striving for change and improvement. Without the full participation of King chapter members, reaching this agreement would have been much more difficult."
King Chief Operating Officer Ulrika Højgaard issued a statement:
We confirm that the planned strike action by King's studio in Sweden has been canceled.
We will continue to listen carefully to employee concerns, including their desire for greater understanding and involvement in decisions that affect their interests. King respects Sweden's labor relations system and recognizes the important value of dialogue among employers, employees, and unions.
We have now signed a collective bargaining agreement, which will take effect on April 1, 2027, and includes adjustment clauses tailored to King's business operations and actual circumstances. Next, we will work with various unions to finalize all adaptation details for King and all employees before April 1.
Our core goal has always been to find the right direction for King and all employees, and we look forward to future communication and collaboration.