Airbus Employees Vote in Favor of Strike

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus employees have voted to go on strike, with 95% of workers approving the decision. More than 3,000 aircraft assemblers and engineers at Airbus’ Broughton (Flintshire) and Filton (Bristol) facilities in the UK are preparing to take industrial action. The strike decision follows a ballot organized by the Unite union, where 95% of participants voted in favor with a turnout of 80%.

The driving force behind the strike is what employees describe as a “low” pay rise offer from the company. Airbus workers play critical roles in wing assembly and engineering processes for some of the company’s flagship aircraft, including the A320 family, A330, A350, and A400M.

Unite: “There is widespread anger over Airbus’ offer”
Rhys McCarthy, Unite’s national officer for aerospace, commented:
“This overwhelming vote in favor of strike action reflects the depth of anger among our members over Airbus’s low pay offer.”

He went on to issue a direct call to Airbus:
“If the company brings forward a new offer that our members can accept, strike action can be avoided. Otherwise, Airbus will experience their workers’ anger firsthand on the picket line.”