Airbus workers in Spain are now on strike until July 31, 2026.
The industrial action was called by SIPA – Sindicato Independiente de Profesionales Aeronauticos (Spanish for ‘Independent Union of Aeronautical Professionals’) – on July 1, 2026. It was ratified after the workers’ delegates met with the company’s management on July 8, 2026, one week into the strike.
While led by SIPA, the second largest union at Airbus’ Spanish sites, other unions have since joined this industrial action, including UGT, one of Spain’s two main countrywide cross-industry unions.
Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) – the largest union among Airbus Spain workers and one of the parties which negotiated the labor relations framework currently in place – has so far rejected calls to join in.
However, CCOO has suggested that it might call its own industrial action, with an indefinite duration, after September 7, 2026.
The strikers have raised a number of grievances, ranging from salary increases which they deem to be insufficient, to matters relating to how their work is organized and evaluated.
Central to the unionists’ complaints is a proposed salary increase which they estimate will fall short of inflation. The workers contrapose their demands to the fact that Airbus posted a healthy €5.22 billion profit in 2025.
Other complaints involve the reduction of remote work, from two days per week down to one, plus a new system to allocate holiday periods which they argue leaves insufficient room for flexibility. Also of concern is the implementation of the so-called ‘Bradford Index’, a method to assess levels of absenteeism at work.
The protest started at Airbus’ plant in Getafe, near Madrid, but has since expanded to other facilities across Spain, where the European aerospace giant employs around 14,000 people.
If it continues, this industrial action could significantly impact Airbus production in areas such as defense, at a time in which the aerospace firm is struggling to ramp up production. Workers at several of Airbus’ sites in France also went on strike during June 2026.
In a note made public on July 10, 2026, Airbus stated that the firm’s management is open to dialogue with the unions, adding that its intention is “to move forward constructively as part of the ongoing negotiations”. The manufacturer also stressed that it is taking note of employees’ concerns, while also expressing the hope that the conflict will soon be resolved in order to mitigate the impact on its operations and customers.
AeroTime has reached out to both SIPA and Airbus for additional comment.