Candy Crush maker faces strike after rejecting collective agreement

Employees at King Digital Entertainment, the Swedish company behind the Candy Crush puzzle game, could go on strike after management rejected a collective agreement, SVT reports. The unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer have given the company until September 25 to reach an agreement before industrial action begins.

About 550 King employees in Sweden are not covered by a collective agreement. The dispute has followed unsuccessful negotiations between the company and the two unions, which say their members have long pushed for an agreement.

Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer have issued strike notices for King’s offices in Stockholm and Malmö. If no agreement is reached by the deadline, members will walk out.

Kajsa Sima Falck, chair of King’s Unionen club, said employees valued the company as a workplace but believed a collective agreement was needed to provide long-term security and genuine influence.

King was acquired in a deal worth billions by Activision Blizzard in 2016. Microsoft later acquired Activision Blizzard. SVT said it had contacted King for comment.