Thousands of Airbus employees in Spain have begun an indefinite strike after workers rejected a company proposal on pay and working conditions, following an earlier round of strikes held from July 1 through July 23.
The strike began on August 25, 2026, following three-hour stoppages and employee assemblies the previous day. The workers’ strike committee said the action covers full 24-hour periods and has no scheduled end date.
Workers at Airbus facilities across Spain voted not to postpone the strike while negotiations continued. Unions said the company’s proposal did not provide firm enough commitments or deadlines on several unresolved issues.
The two sides are scheduled to return to mediation on August 27.
Unions claimed that about 90% of eligible employees joined the first full day of the strike and said the action had begun slowing production. Airbus has not confirmed the participation figure or disclosed whether aircraft or component output has been affected, Reuters reported.
The walkout follows a series of stoppages held from July 1 through July 23. Workers later rejected a proposed agreement in a companywide referendum, and unions filed a new strike notice covering the August action.
Pay and working conditions remain unresolved
The dispute covers wages, remote work, holiday scheduling, employee transportation, and the use of the Bradford Factor, a formula that measures the frequency and duration of employee absences.
Workers also want written guarantees that organizational changes will not cost jobs or weaken working conditions, including changes connected with Airbus’s space activities in Spain. Another demand concerns differences in pay progression between newer employees and longer-serving workers doing similar work.
Airbus presented a proposal during mediation on August 21 that included pay increases tied to inflation, an additional increase intended to restore purchasing power and further negotiations over other working conditions.
The company also offered to withdraw a court appeal involving sick-leave payments and return money previously deducted from employees, according to documents published by the strike committee.
The proposal did not produce an agreement. Employee assemblies voted on August 24 to proceed with the indefinite strike while daily negotiations continued.
Airbus submitted another proposal on August 26, but the strike remained in effect.
Strike affects commercial, defense and space operations
Airbus employs about 14,000 people across eight sites in Spain. Its operations in the country cover commercial aircraft, military aviation, helicopters and space systems.
The company’s commercial-aircraft operation in Spain employs approximately 4,500 people at Getafe, Illescas and Cádiz. Those plants produce major structures used across the Airbus product line.
Getafe assembles horizontal stabilizers for the A320, A330 and A350 families and the rear fuselage section of the A350. Illescas produces large composite structures, including A350 wing covers and the main-deck cargo door for the A350F. Cádiz manufactures stabilizer components and A320neo engine fan cowls.
Airbus also performs military-aircraft work in Getafe and Seville, operates a helicopter plant in Albacete and develops and builds satellite and launcher hardware in the Madrid area, according to the company’s overview of its Spanish operations.
