Airbus Freezes Spanish Hiring as Workers Launch Indefinite Strike

Thousands of Airbus SE employees in Spain resumed an indefinite strike on August 25 after unions rejected the company's latest proposals on wage increases and remote-working agreements as insufficient. The industrial action, supported by the CGT, UGT, and UTIL unions, follows 22 days of intermittent strikes in July. Workers are demanding inflation-linked pay raises, the restoration of previous remote-work arrangements, and improved sick-leave benefits.

Union representatives report that approximately 90% of eligible workers participated in the Tuesday stoppage, affecting roughly 40% of the company's 14,000 Spanish employees across eight facilities, including sites in Getafe, San Pablo, Tablada, Illescas, Albacete, and Cadiz. In response to the unrest, Airbus has frozen planned hiring in Spain.

There is a discrepancy regarding the strike's impact on operations. Union representatives claim the stoppage has already slowed the production of military and commercial aircraft. Conversely, Airbus stated that disruptions to administrative and support functions have not yet impacted production, though the company continues to assess the effect on customer commitments as it works toward an annual delivery target of 870 jets.