Seko sjöfolk

What Seko sjöfolk does

Seko sjofolk is one of nine branch organizations within Seko, Service- och kommunikationsfacket, the fifth-largest of Sweden's 13 LO (Landsorganisationen) trade union federations with approximately 100,000 members. The branch represents seafarers working on Swedish-flagged vessels — including sailors (matroser), cooks, cleaners (lokalvårdare), engine mechanics (motormän), service staff, ordinary seamen (jungmän), and retail staff (butiksbiträden) — across ferry, cargo, and archipelago shipping as well as harbor/towage. It originated from the 1996 merger between Seko and Sjofolksforbundet (the historical Seafarers' Union), which had roots going back to the founding of the parent organization in 1914.

The branch negotiates and administers six or more central collective agreements covering the SARF-området (Sjöfartens Arbetsgivareförbund) — including Storsjöavtalet, Färjeavtalet, Hamn- och bogseravtalet, Skärgårdsavtalet, Europaavtalet, and Thulelandsavtalet — covering wages, working hours, overtime, rest periods, and pensions for members. Services are delivered through a network of approximately 5,000 elected workplace representatives (förtroendevalda) across 160 clubs, supplemented by a member service hotline (Seko Direkt), a self-service member portal (Mina Sidor), a print and digital member magazine (Sjömannen), introductory training courses, and ombudsmen available around the clock for urgent matters.

Seko sjofolk operates as a non-profit membership association funded by recurring monthly membership fees (322 SEK ordinary / 490 SEK with unemployment insurance a-kassa, 2026 rates). It markets and recruits primarily through community organizing: annual medlemsvecka workplace visits, member-to-member referrals with a 200 SEK Coop gift card incentive, introductory union courses, and presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It also participates in the broader Seko ecosystem including the 6F alliance (with Byggnads, Elektrikerna, and Fastighets) and benefits partnerships with Avtalat, Folksam, and Lantero.

Name

Seko sjöfolk

Legal name

Seko, Service- och kommunikationsfacket

Website

https://sjofolk.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Seko sjofolk is the Swedish-flagged maritime branch of Seko (LO's fifth-largest union federation), organizing seafarers across collective agreements covering ferries, cargo, archipelago, and harbor operations. It delivers membership representation, training, and benefits through ~5,000 elected workplace representatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Labor (Dockworkers/Longshore) Staffing (BPACAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vessel Husbandry & Crew Services (Crew Change, Meet & Assist, Transport, Shore Passes) (TLAHAJAB)

Keywords

• Trade union services
• Collective bargaining
• Seafarer representation
• Maritime labor union
• Union membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Seko sjöfolk generates revenue through monthly membership fees paid by seafarers working on Swedish-flagged vessels. The primary revenue stream is membership subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Seko sjöfolk is the maritime branch of the Swedish trade union Seko that organizes and represents seafarers working on Swedish-flagged vessels. It negotiates sector-specific collective agreements and provides membership services including unemployment and income insurance, legal aid, training, workplace representation by elected ombudsmen, and a member magazine.

Product overview

Seko sjöfolk is a branch organization within the Swedish trade union Seko (Service- och kommunikationsfacket), representing seafarers on Swedish-flagged vessels. It does not offer a commercial product or SaaS platform; instead it provides union membership services to its members, who include sailors, cooks, cleaners, engine workers, service staff, deckhands, and shop assistants working aboard ships. Services are delivered through Seko's central website (seko.se), a member portal (Mina Sidor), the members' magazine Sjömannen, local union sections, and direct support from ombudsmen and elected representatives. The branch negotiates and maintains collective agreements (Storsjöavtalet, Färjeavtalet, Skärgårdsavtalet, Europaavtalet, Thulelandsavtalet, Hamn- och bogseravtalet, and others) covering wages, working conditions, working hours, overtime, and pensions for members on Swedish-flagged ships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sjömannen: The member magazine of Seko sjöfolk, published for all members working at sea.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, minor and core.

• AvtalatmoderateOthersAvtalat is a collaboration body providing free webinars and educational content about collective agreement benefits (pensions, insurance, etc.) specifically for Seko members in sectors including Väg och ban and Sjöfolk. Avtalat offers webinars such as 'Så fungerar din tjänstepension', 'Försäkringsskydd vid arbetsskada', and other topics related to the SAF-LO collective agreement pension scheme.
• FolksammoderateOthersFolksam provides Seko members with travel insurance information, webinars, and personal financial advice. Seko collaborates with Folksam on income insurance (inkomstförsäkring), group personal injury and occupational injury insurance, and the voluntary top-up income insurance that extends coverage to 300 days.
• LanterominorOthersLantero provides an external whistleblower reporting service (visselblåsartjänst) for Seko. The service allows members, employees, and elected representatives to report serious irregularities anonymously via an external platform at lantero.report/seko.
• 6F (Fackförbund i samverkan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner6F is a trade union cooperation alliance consisting of Byggnads, Elektrikerna, Fastighets, and Seko. The collaboration aims to strengthen members' negotiating power for wage increases and better employment conditions, reduce costs through shared operations, enable lower membership fees, and increase effectiveness of political advocacy.
• LO (Landsorganisationen i Sverige)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeko is the fifth-largest of the 13 LO federations in Sweden. LO coordinates collective bargaining across Swedish trade unions. Seko participates in LO coordination including for collective agreement negotiations, and LO publishes joint reports such as 'Makteliten' on wage disparities.
• ArbetsgivarverketmoderateOthersArbetsgivarverket is the Swedish employers' association for state employees and serves as the negotiating counterpart for Seko in several central collective agreements (such as RALS for state employees).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF): Global federation of transport trade unions, including a dedicated seafarers' section. Comparable as the overarching international body that coordinates seafarer union activity and negotiates global framework agreements with major shipowners, providing the international layer Seko sjöfolk connects into.
• Landsorganisationen i Sverige (LO): Swedish Trade Union Confederation coordinating Seko and 12 other federations. Comparable as the overarching national labor confederation that channels Seko sjöfolk's voice in nationwide wage policy, tripartite negotiations, and political advocacy.

Regional players

• Nautilus International: UK-based union for maritime professionals including seafarers, ship engineers, and officers. Comparable as a national seafarer union with subscription dues, collective representation, and member welfare services, but operating in a different (UK/NL) regulatory and flag-state context.
• Norsk Sjømannsforbund: Norwegian Seafarers' Union representing ratings and unlicensed maritime personnel on Norwegian-flagged vessels. Directly comparable in mission, member profile (ratings, catering, engine-room crew), and subscription-based funding model, but focused on Norway's flag-state framework.
• ver.di (Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft): Germany's largest services sector union with shipping and port divisions covering seafarers and inland-waterway workers. Comparable as a subscription-funded union with collective bargaining rights for maritime workers, but at substantially larger scale and broader scope.
• 3F (Fagligt Fælles Forbund): Denmark's largest trade union federation with a maritime section covering seafarers and port workers. Comparable as a subscription-funded union with collective bargaining and member benefits for blue-collar maritime workers, but operating across Denmark and multiple industries.
• SU (Sjömannaunionen i Finland): Finnish Seafarers' Union organizing ratings and catering crew on Finnish-flagged vessels. Highly comparable function and member profile (deck and catering ratings), but operating under the Finnish flag and labor code.

Direct peers

• Sjöbefälsföreningen: Swedish Maritime Officers' Association, the direct union counterpart in Sweden representing licensed officers and maritime professionals. Highly comparable because both organizations recruit Swedish seafarers into collective representation and operate within the same national maritime labor framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sekosjofolk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seko-sj%C3%B6folk
• Instagraminstagram.com/sekosjofolk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seko sjöfolk