Aerospace manufacturer Airbus is considering moving workload from its Spanish plants to other European countries to guarantee customer deliveries during an ongoing indefinite strike.
Management communicated the potential transfer to worker representatives on Tuesday during a meeting held on the first day of the labor stoppage, according to sources familiar with the gathering.
Carmen Maja-Rex, global director of human resources at Airbus, attended the meeting where company representatives stated that Airbus cannot expose itself to missing customer delivery deadlines. Management explained to worker delegates that failing to meet delivery schedules involves more than damage to company reputation and client trust.
The aircraft manufacturer emphasized that delivering military planes and spare parts on time is critical for foreign air forces. Management noted that in countries such as Germany and Poland, military deliveries are crucial for national defense due to the security threat posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Hiring Freeze and Turnout Disagreements
To mitigate the impact of the strike on operations and safeguard future aircraft orders, Airbus has decided to freeze all planned hiring. The company had maintained its hiring plans through July, when labor mobilizations called by trade unions UGT, CGT, and ÚTIL first began.
Airbus workers voted on Monday to launch the open-ended strike starting Tuesday to demand improvements in wages and working conditions.
Estimates regarding worker participation on the first day of the strike differed significantly between labor unions and industry sources. While some union sources stated that turnout reached approximately 90 percent on the first day, other sources reported that participation was limited to between 10 percent and 15 percent.
Following reports from union UGT claiming near total participation at Airbus facilities in Sevilla and Cádiz, the company pushed back regarding the Cádiz location. Airbus stated that the Cádiz plant remained fully operational and that activity continued as normal because workers there had not joined the strike to date.
Contract Proposal and Compensation Demands
Worker assemblies voted to reject the latest contract proposal presented by management ahead of the strike. The company proposal maintained two days per week of remote work and offered to withdraw an appeal filed before the Supreme Court regarding Airbus absenteeism control system.
On wages, Airbus proposed a general pay increase tied to real consumer price inflation plus a purchasing power recovery supplement to reach a total 5 percent raise across 2026 and 2027. Salary percentage increases for the period spanning 2028 through 2030 remained subject to future negotiations.
The company package also included an additional 0.5 percent allocation for individual salary reviews and another 0.5 percent set aside for workforce promotions.
Airbus is a European aerospace group that builds commercial jetliners, transport aircraft, and defense systems. Spain is a major manufacturing hub for Airbus, with primary facilities in Getafe near Madrid, Sevilla, and Cádiz producing structural components and military aircraft assemblies. Trade unions UGT and CCOO represent large segments of Spain industrial aerospace workforce.
Negotiation Status and Union Positions
Company management and union representatives were scheduled to meet again on Thursday to attempt to make progress toward an agreement, although union positions remained far from management offer.
Labor organizations remain divided on how to approach the talks. Management and trade union CCOO consider a preliminary agreement drafted in July, which workers rejected by a narrow margin in a ballot, to be a good starting point for resuming negotiations. However, union UGT considers that previous agreement to be outdated and already superseded.
Thursday marks the second day of the indefinite strike at the Airbus plant in Getafe near Madrid as both sides resume discussions.
