King averts strikes after signing Swedish union agreement

Candy Crush maker King has signed a collective bargaining agreement with two Swedish unions, averting strikes planned for September 25 at its Stockholm and Malmo offices. The agreement came hours before the scheduled action was set to begin.

Unionen and the Engineers of Sweden, which represents around 100 of King's approximately 550 staff across the two offices, had issued strike notice on September 15 after negotiations stalled. The Engineers of Sweden said the new agreement gives employees better ability to influence their work situation and the right to organise. They will also receive advance notice of changes affecting their roles, such as reorganisations or altered conditions.

Unionen called the agreement "an important step towards creating secure and predictable long term conditions for its employees, while also contributing to a more sustainable games industry."

The deal ends over a year of negotiations between the parties. It comes as King navigates broader restructuring across Xbox, its parent company. King staff largely avoided the latest round of layoffs in September, which cut 268 positions across Xbox's first-party studios. The division is now three quarters through a restructure announced in July, according to Xbox executive Matt Booty. King's remit was expanded to include Microsoft Casual Games, which operates evergreen titles like Solitaire Collection, Minesweeper and Mahjong across PC and mobile platforms.