Staff at Broughton and Filton sites could walk out in September
THOUSANDS of Airbus workers have voted in favour of strike action following a dispute over what union leaders are calling a “real-terms pay cut”.
More than 3,000 aircraft fitters and engineers at Airbus plants in Broughton, Flintshire, and Filton, near Bristol, were balloted by Unite the Union. On an 80% turnout, an overwhelming 95% voted to strike in protest at the company’s latest pay offer.
Airbus said it had not yet been formally notified of any industrial action. A spokesperson insisted the revised one-year deal – worth 3.3%, with a further 0.3% rise from January 2026 – was both “competitive and fair.” The company also pointed to a £2,644 success bonus already paid out to workers in April.
But Unite argues the pay offer falls short of inflation and amounts to a pay cut in real terms. The union’s national officer for aerospace, Rhys McCarthy, said: “This vote shows the depth of anger our members feel over the poor pay offer from Airbus. It’s not too late to avoid industrial action – but only if the company returns to the table with a new offer that reflects the cost of living.”
Airbus UK’s country manager Sue Partridge said it was “business as usual” for now and emphasised the company’s focus on supporting staff and protecting the long-term stability of its UK operations.
The workers involved are responsible for manufacturing wings for several major Airbus programmes, including the A320, A330, A350 and the A400M military transport aircraft.
If a resolution is not reached, strike action could begin in September, with dates expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
