In a major escalation of industrial action, over three thousand aircraft fitters and engineers across Airbus UK wing-manufacturing facilities are poised to embark on a ten-day strike beginning in September, demanding fairer compensation amid rising inflation and cost-of-living pressures. The Unite union, representing the workers at Broughton in North Wales and Filton near Bristol, announced the walk-out following an overwhelming vote in favor of industrial action, with around 90 percent of members supporting the strike movement.
The planned strike is scheduled to span three weeks in September, with rolling stoppages slated for the weekends of September 2–3 and 10–11, followed by an additional five days of action starting September 15, largely structured around site-specific shift patterns. These dates have been carefully chosen to maximize pressure while accommodating workforce schedules.
Unite has made clear that workers are demanding a more substantial pay rise—one that genuinely keeps pace with inflation, which stood at 3.8 percent in July, the highest rate in 18 months. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, emphasized that Airbus’s soaring profits warrant a fairer deal for the people who make the wings essential to its success. “Workers deserve a fair deal,” she said. “This isn’t about favour—it’s about fairness”.
Unite’s national officer Rhys McCarthy underscored that the current pay offer falls short of recognizing both cost-of-living pressures and the highly specialized skills of the workforce, leaving them with what amounts to a real-terms pay cut.
Airbus, in turn, insists it has already put forward a “competitive and fair” offer, pointing to more than 20 percent in pay increases over the past three years and a one-off bonus of £2,644 disbursed in April 2025. The company maintains that while it anticipates possible disruptions, it remains confident in delivering on its year-end targets and remains open to negotiations that could resolve the dispute.
Beyond the immediate impact on Airbus UK—where these facilities produce wings for key models such as the A320, A330, A350, and the A400M military aircraft—the strike threatens broader implications for the global aerospace supply chain. These two sites are critical links in Airbus’s network, with any slowdown potentially affecting jet assembly lines in Europe, the United States, and beyond.
Several news outlets have echoed these concerns. Thousands of workers voted to strike, citing the potential disruption to wing production for both commercial and military aircraft, as well as delays in deliveries and a strain on Airbus’s supply chains. The Wall Street Journal adds that Airbus has not publicly commented on whether the strike threat will derail ambitious production ramp-up plans—including a target of building 75 A320 aircraft per month by 2027, alongside increased A330 output—though the FT notes that Airbus continues to push forward despite concurrent challenges, like enduring engine supply bottlenecks that have left scores of A320neos grounded as “gliders”.
At its root, the pay dispute reflects wider economic tensions prevailing in the UK, where wage growth continues to lag behind spiralling living costs, fueling unrest across various sectors. For the aerospace workforce at Airbus UK, their sit-down is both a direct demand for equitable remuneration and a loud signal to industry leaders that sustained profitability must translate into shared gains.
As September approaches, all eyes will be on whether Airbus and Unite can broker a deal, or whether negotiations will falter—potentially triggering the anticipated walk-out and rippling consequences across the global aviation sector.
