In early 2024, a significant change in employee benefits at Activision Blizzard's Stockholm office, implemented by new owner Microsoft, unexpectedly spurred the formation of a union. This action, the removal of a popular on-site doctor service, galvanized over one hundred employees to establish a union club with Unionen, Sweden's largest trade union.
This unionization effort reflects the unique Swedish labor landscape. Swedish workers can join unions regardless of company-specific organization, resulting in a high union membership rate (approximately 70%). Unions negotiate industry-wide standards, but forming a company-specific union club allows for Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) securing additional workplace benefits. This mirrors, to some extent, U.S. union contracts, granting local union boards influence on company decisions. This trend is growing in the Swedish gaming industry, following similar actions at Paradox Interactive and Avalanche Studios.
The catalyst for unionization at King Stockholm was the abrupt termination of a highly valued employee benefit: a private doctor for employees and their families. This benefit, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided readily available healthcare and support, fostering strong employee loyalty. Its removal, with only a week's notice, left employees scrambling for alternative healthcare solutions. While a private health insurance plan was offered as a replacement, it lacked the personalized care and accessibility of the previous arrangement.
This event ignited widespread discussion among King Stockholm employees, highlighting the lack of bargaining power without a CBA. This spurred a renewed interest in the company's dormant union Slack channel, rapidly increasing membership. The subsequent months saw the group formalize its union club with Unionen in October 2024. (Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King did not respond to IGN's request for comment.)
While the lost doctor benefit is irretrievable, the newly formed union aims to secure a CBA to safeguard existing benefits and ensure employee influence on future changes. Key areas of negotiation include salary, transparency, protection against reorganizations and layoffs, and overall workplace influence. The union also emphasizes educating employees about their rights, particularly beneficial for the diverse international workforce at King.
Unionen organizer Timo Rybak highlights the mutual benefit of unionization, enabling employees to provide valuable insight into daily operations and advocate for themselves. Kajsa Sima Falck, a King engineer and union board member, emphasizes the importance of preserving King's unique culture and benefits. The union's formation, initially a reaction to a negative change, has evolved into a proactive measure to protect employee well-being and workplace influence.
