Thousands of Airbus workers across Spain continue strike over pay, remote work

Thousands of Airbus workers in Spain have resumed strike action after rejecting the company's latest pay offer and a mediation proposal aimed at resolving a long-running dispute, Caliber.Az reports citing Reuters.

Unions said around 90% of eligible employees participated in the latest action on August 24, which they described as the beginning of an indefinite strike following 22 days of industrial action in July.

A new mediation meeting is scheduled for August 26, after workers at individual plants voted to reject a proposal presented by Airbus during a mediation session last week.

Unions argued that the offer lacked firm deadlines and financial commitments and deferred key issues, including holidays, flexible working hours and transportation arrangements.

The French aviation giant is under pressure to meet its annual target of delivering 870 aircraft and has frozen planned hiring in Spain for the duration of the strike, according to Alfonso Mora, head of the Airbus works council in Spain.

Representatives of the UGT and CGT unions said the industrial action had already slowed both military and commercial production and could make it more difficult for Airbus to meet its delivery target. The company, however, said last week that disruptions to administrative and support functions had not yet affected production.

Airbus has already softened its plans to reduce remote working following the July protests, allowing employees to continue working from home an average of two days a week, Reuters previously reported.

The dispute comes as Airbus workers in Spain seek improvements to pay and working conditions amid wider concerns over changes to workplace arrangements.

Eight Airbus facilities in Spain produce military transport aircraft as well as components for commercial aircraft and satellites, making the country an important part of the company's broader production network.

By Nazrin Sadigova