‘This shows the power that comes from employees joining forces:’ King signs collective bargaining agreement with union workers
King, the Microsoft-owned developer behind Candy Crush, has signed a collective bargaining agreement with Swedish trade unions Unionen and Engineers of Sweden, averting a strike scheduled for September 25, 2026. The agreement culminates over a year of negotiations that began in May 2025 and reached a critical juncture when unionized workers called for industrial action.
Unionen members championed the agreement as securing job security and granting workers “greater influence over workplace terms and conditions.” The deal represents a significant victory for the union, with Unionen leadership emphasizing that the agreement demonstrates “the power that comes from employees joining forces” to achieve meaningful workplace changes. The union framed the outcome as establishing “secure and predictable long-term conditions for employees” at King.
Industry observers and union representatives view the agreement as significant beyond King itself, positioning it as an important milestone for the gaming industry and reinforcing the Swedish collective bargaining model. The last-minute resolution prevented what would have been a notable labor disruption in the gaming sector.