Airbus Maintenance Workers in UK Suspend Strike After Pay Raise

Workers responsible for maintenance and cleaning at two Airbus sites in the UK have called off their planned strike following an improved pay offer. Unite, one of the UK’s largest trade unions, announced the suspension of the strike on September 4, 2024.

The planned strike, which was set for September 6, 7, 9, and 10, 2024, involved over 140 workers from Airbus locations in Broughton, Wales, and Filton, Bristol. The workers had cited dissatisfaction with their wages, which they claimed were only minimally above the legal minimum.

The decision to call off the strike came after CBRE, the company responsible for facility management services at Airbus UK sites, reported substantial profits of £36 million (€42 million). Unite had argued that the workers’ pay did not reflect CBRE’s profitability, with employees receiving only minor wage increases that barely met legal standards.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham criticized CBRE’s compensation practices in a statement released on September 2, 2024. “CBRE makes huge profits but thinks it is okay to pay its workers poverty wages,” Graham said. “This is pure corporate greed. CBRE can more than afford to put forward a fair pay offer.”

CBRE’s facility management services at the Airbus sites include mechanical and electrical engineering, building maintenance, cleaning, waste management, transportation, mailroom services, and ground maintenance. The proposed strike had the potential to disrupt these services, which could have significantly impacted Airbus’ manufacturing operations.

In response to the improved pay proposal from CBRE, Unite has decided to suspend the strike action. The union will now hold a ballot among its members to vote on the new pay offer, as confirmed by Jono Davies, Unite Regional Officer.

This development highlights the ongoing tensions between workers and facility management companies over wage issues, especially in industries with high profitability like aerospace. The resolution of this dispute underscores the importance of fair compensation practices and the impact of corporate profits on employee wages.