Thousands of Airbus workers in the UK are preparing to stage industrial action next month, following an overwhelming vote in favour of strike action.
Unite, which represents over 3,000 aircraft fitters and engineers at Airbus, confirmed that ten days of strike action will begin on September 2, spread across a three-week period.
The action was first announced in July after a 90% vote in support of striking, amid ongoing disagreement over pay. Unite members at the company’s sites in Broughton, Wales, and Filton, near Bristol, backed the industrial action.
These facilities are critical to Airbus’s supply chain, producing wings for the A320 family, A330, and A350 aircraft. A walkout could significantly disrupt operations, given the high level of union representation at both locations.
Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham criticised the company’s pay offer, calling it unfair given Airbus’s strong financial performance. “Airbus is generating billions in profit; workers deserve a fair deal,” she said. “Our members are simply seeking fairness, not favours.”
The union has previously stated that this result reflected the "depth of anger" among workers over what it described as a "poor" pay package.
Unite national officer Rhys McCarthy said: “The pay offer simply doesn’t reflect the money Airbus is making or the current cost of living crisis. We remain ready to negotiate, but we won’t allow our members to be short-changed.”
The union is urging Airbus to return to the negotiating table with a revised offer that reflects inflation, the cost of living, and the highly specialised skills of the workforce.