Airbus faces the prospect of a global slowdown in production amid its flagship UK flagship website overwhelmingly voted for the payment controversy.
The more than 3,000 UNITE Alliance members at the Broughton plant in North Wales will build wings for all Airbus commercial aircraft unless an agreement is reached – a 10-day strike will take place next month unless an agreement is reached. The location is a crucial gear in Airbus’ global supply chain, providing components for assembly lines in France, Germany, the United States and China.
The union warns that the action can “stagnate jet production” when Airbus faces pressure to increase output and pass record orders. Airbus transported 735 aircraft last year with the goal of delivering at least 820 aircraft by 2025 and plans to reach 75 of its best-selling A320NEO family each month by 2027.
Industrial action follows months of negotiations between management and trade unions. Airbus rose 3.6% in 2025, followed by 3.15% in 2026, a offer accepted by more than 3,000 white-collar workers — but Unite rejected the deal in support of a one-year settlement.
Airbus then offered a 3.3% increase this year, up 0.3% from January and paid a supplementary payment of £200. Unite members rejected the revised plan, insisting that any transaction must reflect the cost of living, inflationary pressures, and what unions call the “professional skills” of the labor force.
“Airbus is making billions of dollars in profits. Our members are just looking for fairness, not favors. This workforce is crucial to Airbus’ success, and they won’t get shorter.”
Airbus noted that previous settlements have increased by 20% over the past three years, plus bonuses of more than £13,000, including payments of £2,644 in April.
“Our priority is to work with the union to find resolutions to ensure Airbus’ long-term competitiveness and success in the UK,” said Sue Partridge, head of commercial aircraft at Airbus.
The strike is scheduled to begin on September 2 and will also involve hundreds of joint members at Airbus’ Felton site near Bristol, which produces wings for the A400M military transport aircraft.
Analysts say that while Airbus has built up a full wing reserve during its annual two-week summer closure, prolonged damage could ripple on its global network. As rival Boeing is still recovering from the quality control crisis and its own strike action, any delay in production by Airbus could undermine its predominant position as the world’s largest planner.
The Broughton dispute is a sensitive moment among French-headquartered groups that are balancing record commercial backlog with airline pressure to deliver jets on time. As global airlines predict strong demand for new, fuel-efficient aircraft, bottlenecks in wing production could expose Airbus to missed delivery targets.
Unite said it remains open to talks but insists that the requirements of its members must be met. “This strike was avoidable,” a union source said. “But Airbus has to come back to a deal to give due importance to the people who keep the production line.”
