Union workers at Candy Crush studio King will reportedly strike next week after brand leadership objected to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). King management’s decision follows employees’ repeated attempts at negotiation through Swedish trade unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer.
A new report from Kotaku claims King employees were informed of the decision in an email this past June from King president Todd Green, who allegedly told workers the choice wasn’t easy and cited benefits and operations as reasons for the ruling.
Unionen says the group’s strike action will begin on September 25. Additional Swedish trade unions — Naturvetarna, Akademikerförbundet SSR, and DIK — announced they’d engage in a “sympathy strike” in support of Unionen’s bargaining efforts.
Candy Crush maker King denies unionized employees’ collective bargaining agreement
King leaders told employees that its “current benefits offering is better for [them]” in terms of pension, sick and parental leave, and health insurance.
“Whilst entering into a CBA doesn’t prevent us continuing offering the same benefits,” the email read, “it will require us to change the structure of the benefits we offer, which we believe would be negative to employees in Sweden.”
Regarding brand operations, King reportedly informed workers its “current operating model is the right fit for King, including our operations in Sweden, at this time” and “[e]ntering into a CBA would require significant changes to how we operate in Sweden, including our processes, policies, and ways of working.”
Green continued, adding that internal operations at King could stand “stronger dialogue, more opportunities to ask questions, and…better context around company decisions that affect them.” He also clarified that the decision “does not reflect any lack of respect for trade unions or for the Swedish labour model.”
King leadership said it plans to continue working alongside the trade union club “in an open, respectful and constructive way, and we will continue to consult with trade unions where required.”
Candy Crush studio employees issue official statement via Unionen
In an official message on Unionen’s website, members are “calling for a collective agreement that strengthens job security and gives them a stronger voice at work.” Check out the group’s full statement:
Unionen has given notice of strike action at game developer King following just over a year of negotiations on a collective agreement. The notice comes after the parties were unable to reach an agreement.
The efforts to secure a collective agreement at King have been carried out in close cooperation between Unionen and the Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers (Sveriges Ingenjörer), which together represent a large proportion of the company’s employees. As the negotiations have not resulted in an agreement, the unions are now jointly giving notice of industrial action.
– For Unionen, it is only natural that companies operating in Sweden are covered by collective agreements. We have spent a long time in discussions and negotiations with King in an effort to find a solution, but despite strong support among our members at the workplace, we have not been able to reach an agreement. We therefore see no alternative but to give notice of industrial action, says Martin Wästfelt, Head of Negotiations at Unionen.
The campaign for a collective agreement at King has been driven by strong member engagement. Unionen represents a large proportion of the white collar employees at the company, and the message from members is clear: they want a collective agreement that strengthens job security and gives them greater influence over workplace terms and conditions.
Unionen submitted its strike notice to King on 15 September, after which mediation between the parties will begin. The National Mediation Office (Medlingsinstitutet) will appoint a mediator to help the parties find a solution and reach an agreement. If no agreement is reached, the strike action will begin on 25 September.
Microsoft acquired Candy Crush studio King as part of its colossal Activision Blizzard (now ABK) acquisition in 2023. The deal, first announced in early 2022, cost parent company Microsoft nearly $70 billion.
Bloomberg reported last month that, in 2025 alone, Candy Crush generated nearly $1 billion dollars for Microsoft — about $875 million — a gasp-worthy figure that’s sure to fuel employees’ fight for a strong union contract.
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