Airbus workers in Spain will vote on Monday whether to suspend a planned indefinite strike and open fresh talks with company management over pay.
The decision was agreed by trade unions UGT, CGT, and ÚTIL following a mediation meeting in Madrid with Airbus representatives at the Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service (SIMA).
Although the unions agreed to attend the mediation session on Friday after missing a previous meeting on Thursday, they will still carry out scheduled three-hour work stoppages on Monday while workers evaluate the company proposal.
The European aerospace manufacturer presented worker representatives with a more detailed proposal than the initial outline submitted on Wednesday. Union leaders plan to use the updated document as a base for discussion during Monday worker assemblies across Spanish plants.
According to the official minutes of Friday's meeting, both sides committed to establishing an immediate schedule for negotiations. Formal daily talks are set to begin on Tuesday at SIMA-FSP unless otherwise agreed, with participation open to all union organizations representing Airbus staff.
Labor mediators at SIMA have urged strike organizers to postpone the start of their industrial action until the agreed negotiation period concludes.
Airbus SE is Europe's largest aerospace corporation, operating major manufacturing, defense, and assembly facilities across Spain. SIMA is the national labor mediation body in Spain responsible for resolving collective industrial disputes between companies and labor groups.
Revised wage and workplace proposals
The updated document outlines key concessions from management, including a commitment to withdraw a legal appeal filed before the Social Chamber of the Supreme Court regarding the Bradford system. The statistical formula, used by human resources to measure and manage employee absenteeism, had previously been overturned by court rulings favoring worker representatives.
Airbus confirmed that it will present its formal withdrawal to the Supreme Court on Monday. Following the court filing, management promised to reimburse workers for salary amounts previously deducted under the Bradford formula on the earliest possible operational payroll.
On compensation, Airbus guaranteed that future wage increases will be tied directly to Spain's Consumer Price Index (IPC). Management also offered an additional annual percentage increase to restore lost purchasing power from prior years, promising a faster recovery timeline than previously discussed.
Regarding remote work, Airbus committed to respecting existing company policies and individual telework agreements. Current conditions regarding annual leave and vacation schedules will also remain intact.
Further dialogue and internal management shifts
The company expressed willingness to negotiate on additional workplace conditions, including collective employee transport routes, canteen services, and flexible working hours. Airbus also agreed to analyze existing labor agreements in Cádiz alongside future operational requirements for the Andalusian region.
In a corporate statement, Airbus said it positively valued any step or action that brought the parties closer together and enabled constructive dialogue toward a common understanding.
Monday's vote comes nearly a month after Airbus employees narrowly rejected a previous tentative agreement negotiated by rival unions CC OO, SIPA, and ATP. That proposal was defeated by a margin of 49.15 percent against to 45.95 percent in favor.
Following that rejection, Airbus initiated mediation through SIMA and restructured its negotiation team. The company hired law firm Baker McKenzie and named Soledad Muñoz as its new Human Resources director in Spain, replacing Antonio Lasada, who was reassigned to head operations in China after ten years in the Spanish role.
