Faroese unions demand justification for construction department closure

Six unions representing workers in the Faroese public construction sector have called for clarity after Deputy Prime Minister Jacobi Vestergaard announced plans to dissolve the Construction Projects Department under Landsverk, effective by 1 January 2027 at the latest.

The Faroese Society of Civil Engineers and the Faroese Society of Engineers are urging the government to halt the decision and provide a substantive rationale, or alternatively, to engage in open, professional dialogue with stakeholders in the construction industry.

The unions argue that the current proposal, which shifts responsibility for public construction projects to the authority managing the national budget, represents no actual change, as this has long been the case. They question the basis for the decision, emphasizing that a restructuring of this scale—affecting public construction, professional standards, and future state projects—must be grounded in thorough analysis and transparent political debate, not unresolved or undocumented assessments.

Representatives from the Workers’ Union, the Academic Union, the Economic and Legal Professionals’ Union, and the Marine Engineers’ Union have also requested insight into all documents related to the preparation, revision, consultation, advice, and decision to close the department.