Airbus workers in Spain reject company offer and approve indefinite strike starting 25 August

Assembly votes and strike mandate

Morning shift workers across Airbus facilities in Spain voted by a broad majority on 24 August 2026 to launch an indefinite strike starting Tuesday, 25 August 2026. The industrial action was called by the CGT, UGT, and ÚTIL trade unions following employee rejection of management proposals. Assemblies took place at production sites including Getafe in Madrid, which employs approximately 9,000 workers, and San Pablo in Seville, which accounts for around 2,200 staff. Further ballots were held at facilities in Tablada, Illescas, and Albacete, while the plant in Cádiz postponed its assembly to 1 September 2026 to align with the nationwide majority.

The morning shift constitutes the majority of the Spanish workforce, securing the strike mandate ahead of afternoon assembly sessions scheduled between 17:00 and 18:35 across regional centers. Union representatives stated that staff intend to begin the walkout on Tuesday while scheduling a review on Friday, 28 August 2026, to evaluate daily mediation progress and determine whether to suspend or extend the stoppage.

Disputed wage proposals and remote work policies

The labor dispute originated from grievances over reductions in remote working arrangements before widening to encompass wage stagnation and purchasing power recovery. In late July 2026, staff lifted a month-long strike but rejected a preliminary agreement negotiated by majority committee representatives from CCOO, SIPA, and ATP. That rejected settlement proposed a 5% general wage increase for 2026 and 2027, supplemented by a 0.5% individual wage review, 0.5% for promotions, and a 2,000 euro gross bonus, with inflation clauses deferred to 2028 and 2029.

Workers insisted on immediate pay increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to offset inflation. During mediation talks at the Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service (SIMA) on 21 August 2026, Airbus management offered to link salary increases to the CPI and add an extra percentage to recover purchasing power. Airbus also proposed preserving remote work policies allowing two telework days per week alongside existing individual agreements, though union members deemed the overall offer insufficient.

Legal concessions and corporate earnings context

Management made legal concessions during the 21 August 2026 mediation round, agreeing to withdraw an appeal before the Supreme Court regarding the Bradford absenteeism calculation method. The Supreme Court had declared unlawful the deduction of temporary disability allowances under the system following a suit by UGT. Airbus committed to reimbursing the deducted sums to affected workers on the earliest possible payroll.

Union representatives pointed out that workers delivered strong output during post-pandemic backlogs while the company posted strong financial results. Airbus recorded 5,221 million euros in net profits for 2025 and achieved 2,243 million euros in the first six months of 2026, representing a 47% year-on-year increase. Outstanding points in the dispute include holiday scheduling, canteen services, employee transport routes, work flexibility, and employment guarantees for Project Bromo, the space division merger between Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo. Daily negotiation sessions involving all union representatives are scheduled to open on 25 August 2026.