Byggfack

Byggfack is a Swedish term that refers to the trade union sector in the construction industry. It denotes the network of unions and federations that organize workers within building trades and related crafts. It is not a single organization, but a collective reference to the sector’s union activity, primarily within the Swedish Trades Union Confederation (LO). The most prominent member is Byggnads, the Construction Workers’ Union, with other LO-affiliated unions for carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, and similar crafts also part of the byggfack through sector agreements.

The main function of byggfack is to negotiate and enforce collective agreements with employers’ organizations in the construction sector, coordinating wages, overtime, vacation, safety, and working conditions. It supports training and apprenticeship programs and works to ensure uniform standards across projects and regions. The sector-wide agreement, commonly referred to as a byggavtal, sets minimum terms for wages and conditions that apply industry-wide, while local arrangements may adapt details to specific projects or locales. The byggfack also engages in occupational safety initiatives, worker mobility, and dispute resolution processes.

Historically, byggfack formed as the construction industry organized itself to address common labor-market challenges across crafts and firms, aligning with LO’s bargaining framework. It remains a reference point in public and media discussions about the construction sector’s labor relations and collective bargaining dynamics.

See also: LO, Byggnads, Svenska Byggindustrier, Byggavtalet.