Airbus workers vote to strike in pay dispute
The highly skilled workers play a critical role in the production of aircraft wings for the hugely successful A320 family, A330, A350 and A400M military transport aircraft - core programmes in Airbus's global operations.
But the Unite union has been in dispute with the aerospace giant over the latest pay offer. This saw a ballot called over potential industrial action.
The result has now been returned with 95% of union members voting in favour of strikes on an 80% turnout. The union says it hopes Airbus will return to the negotiating table and a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached.
It is reported that potential strike action could start in September, although no date has been confirmed.
Rhys McCarthy, Unite national officer for aerospace, said: "This overwhelming vote in favour of strike action shows the depth of anger that our members have over the poor pay offer from Airbus. It is not too late to avoid industrial action if they get back around the negotiating table with a new offer that is acceptable to our members. Otherwise they will see that anger first-hand on the picket line."
Sue Partridge, Airbus UK Country Manager Commercial Aircraft, said: "We have made a competitive and fair pay offer in 2025 that builds on the strong foundations of pay increases totalling over 20% in the last three years. We have not been formally notified of any industrial action and we are open to further dialogue with Unite in order to find a way forward."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Starmer told to demand Trump ends tariffs on Scotch whisky
Shock waves were sent through the Scottish whisky industry in April when Mr Trump announced 10% tariffs - a rise from zero tariffs - on imports of the product into the US. America is the largest export market by value for Scotch whisky, with 2024 figures showing the market was worth £971m to the industry. Single malt whisky was previously hit with a 25% tariff in 2019, during the first Trump presidency - a decision later estimated to have cost the industry around £600m over a two-year period. That tariff, which expired in 2021, came about due to a battle between the US and the EU over subsidies for plane makers Airbus and its American rival Boeing. READ MORE: Mark Kent, chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said the US President's visit to Scotland "is a timely opportunity to highlight the enduringly positive relationship that has lasted between Scotland and the United States for centuries". He added: "It is underpinned by our diaspora who now call the United States home, and the cross-Atlantic trade which generates investment and creates jobs in communities across Scotland and in States across the US. "Scotch Whisky and US whiskey embody that close and abiding relationship. Our two great industries collaborate, invest and trade, and both have flourished under zero-tariff access to UK and US markets for over thirty years. The visit is a critical moment for the UK government to re-engage in discussions to remove the tariffs on Scotch Whisky in the industry's largest global market. 'We are urging the Prime Minister and ministers to push for tariff removal for Scotch [[Whisky]], and demonstrate the UK Government's commitment to ensuring a key UK export can thrive and grow.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will meet President Donald Trump on Monday (Image: PA) The Scottish Conservative's shadow cabinet secretary for business, economy, tourism and culture Murdo Fraser said: 'All tariffs are damaging, but when he meets President Trump, Keir Starmer must make the strongest possible case for protecting the whisky industry from additional taxes. 'Scotch whisky accounts for almost a quarter of the UK's entire food and drink exports and is worth more than £7billion to the economy, as well as supporting tens of thousands of jobs. 'The Prime Minister has a patchy record on negotiations, but this is a chance for him to stand up for Scotland's interests, and it's crucial he rises to the challenge.' Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: 'Securing tariff free access to American markets needs to be a top priority. The Scottish economy is already fragile from years of SNP neglect, it doesn't need any more upheaval. 'Scotch whisky producers will want to know with certainty what tariff rate they are likely to face going forward. 'Having rolled out the red carpet to Donald Trump, the pressure is now on to get a good deal for Scotland and the whole UK.' Scotch whisky accounts for three quarters of Scottish food and drink exports and about a quarter across the UK creating more than 40,000 jobs in Scotland. The industry is also a huge tourist attraction for domestic and international visitors. The US imported almost £1billion of Scotch last year and is a crucial international market for the industry but companies, including Diageo, Scotland's biggest whisky producer, have warned US tariffs could slash profits by hundreds of millions of pounds. More than 41,000 people are employed in the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland and over 25,000 more jobs across the UK are supported by the industry In 2022, Scotch whisky accounted for 26% of all Scotland's international goods exports and 2% of all UK goods exports The Prime Minister is expected to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the war in Ukraine when he meets Mr Trump. On Monday, the leaders are expected to discuss progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal, hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East and applying pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. They are also expected to talk one-on-one about advancing implementation of the landmark Economic Prosperity Deal so that citizens of both countries can benefit from boosted trade links between their two countries. The Prime Minister is also expected to welcome the president's administration working with Qatar and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza. The US President played golf on Saturday and Sunday at his Turnberry golf course, and on Sunday afternoon met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. After the meeting on Monday, Mr Starmer and Mr Trump will travel on together for a further private engagement in Aberdeen. Mr Trump is expected to meet First Minister John Swinney on Tuesday. The US President will visit the UK again in September for his second state visit. A spokesperson for Number 10 said it was expected they will discuss 'what more can be done to secure the ceasefire urgently, bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and starvation in Gaza and free the hostages who have been held so cruelly for so long'. The war in Ukraine will also be up for discussion with both politicians 'set to talk about their shared desire to bring an end to the barbaric war' according to Number 10, and expected to 'reflect on progress in their 50-day drive to arm Ukraine and force Putin to the negotiating table'. A spokesperson for the UK Government said: 'The UK and the US have one of the closest, most productive alliances the world has ever seen, working together to cooperate on defence, intelligence, technology and trade. 'The UK was the first country to agree a deal with the US that lowered tariffs on key sectors and has received one of the lowest reciprocal tariff rates in the world. 'Businesses in aerospace and autos are already benefiting from the strong relationship the UK has with the US and the deal agreed on May 8. 'The Government is working at pace with the US to go further to deliver benefits to working people on both sides of the Atlantic and to give UK industry the security it needs, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people's pockets through the Plan for Change.' Mr Trump teed off on Sunday morning, being welcomed by supporters who urged him "don't trust Starmer". The Republican leader arrived around 11am at the coastal course in Ayrshire and played golf with his son, Eric. Police were seen patrolling the golf course as associates played earlier in the morning before a huge motorcade of golf caddies arrived around 10.40am. Dressed in a white baseball cap branded 'USA', Mr Trump waved at journalists who shouted questions at him as he teed off. Supporters of the president carrying placards stood in the dunes urging him, "Don't trust Starmer", also shouting, "We love you Trump". Three people gathered to support the Republican leader, carrying a hand-painted placard which read: "President Trump don't trust Starmer". It branded the Prime Minister an explicit term, and was jointly held by a man dressed in black, who wore an Adidas baseball cap. A woman holding the sign wore a red baseball cap reading "Make America Great Again" with fake hair attached and appeared to laugh as she watched. Another female supporter dressed in a floral anorak, held an American flag and wore a baseball cap reading "Make England Great Again". She carried a smaller sign that also branded Starmer an explicit term. A female well-wisher could be heard repeatedly shouting "We love you Trump" and "thank you". Someone else shouted: "Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump". Meanwhile, a man was arrested at Prestwick Airport on Friday evening for allegedly carrying a placard calling [[Donald Trump]] an offensive word. The man, aged 20, was arrested next to the military airport in Ayrshire where Air Force One landed "for abusive behaviour and refusing to stop", according to Police Scotland. The force said on Saturday that no arrests had been made, although a 50-year-old woman was issued with a recorded police warning in connection with alleged threatening behaviour at a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US consulate in Edinburgh on Saturday. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 20-year-old man was arrested next to Prestwick Airport on Friday for abusive behaviour and refusing to stop. "He was given a recorded police warning." The UK Government was approached for comment.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
John Swinney hints at rescue package to save Alexander Dennis jobs
The Scottish Government has today confirmed it is looking at a rescue package it thinks could save jobs at Alexander Dennis – but said details were being kept under wraps due to 'commercial sensitivity'. The firm has threatened to end its manufacturing operations in Scotland by closing its sites in Larbert and Falkirk, putting 400 jobs on the line. It is planning to centralise its operations in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. In a statement, Swinney indicated that a package of new work to keep jobs in Scotland was being explored. READ MORE: Protesters to slam SNP's £180,000 cash award to Donald Trump golf course He said: 'Scottish Ministers place the utmost importance on the presence of Alexander Dennis in Scotland and the retention of its highly skilled manufacturing workers. 'The Scottish Government has committed to exploring any and all viable options throughout the consultation period to allow the firm to retain its skilled employees and manufacturing and production facilities. 'While I cannot provide details due to commercial sensitivity at this time, I hope this update provides the workforce and local community with further assurance that the Scottish Government remains wholly committed to supporting the future of bus manufacturing in Scotland. 'We will undertake this work in tandem with every other short, medium and long-term opportunity we continue to explore in close collaboration with the company, Unite, GMB, Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and the UK Government.' Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes is meeting unions GMB and Unite to discuss the proposal while [[Transport]] Secretary Fiona Hyslop attends a meeting of the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel in London focusing on the future pipeline of zero-emission bus orders. READ MORE: Trans toilet rules 'may force Scottish museums to close' It was reported earlier this month that a consultation with the workforce on job losses would be extended for another fortnight to explore ways of keeping jobs in Scotland. There have also been proposals to put staff on a furlough scheme to retain jobs in Scotland before work on new orders came in. Unite's regional secretary for Scotland Derek Thomson previously told a Holyrood committee that the closure of Alexander Dennis's Scottish operations would be "catastrophic" for the local area. The threat of closure has already spilled into the Scottish economy, with Greenfold Systems Ltd, based in Dunfermline, Fife, closing because a major proportion of its operations were involved with the troubled bus firm. A total of 81 jobs were lost after the "loss of a major contract", administrators said. The threatened closure has become a major political issue, with Scottish Labour accusing the SNP of failing to do enough to support the firm. Anas Sarwar has repeatedly criticised John Swinney of having done "nothing" to save jobs, pointing out that the [[SNP]] were ordering "buses from China, instead of from Scotland". But it later emerged that in Labour-run Edinburgh, where the buses are municipally owned by the council, had not bought buses from Alexander Dennis in the last three years.
Reuters
7 hours ago
- Reuters
US and EU strike deal with 15% tariff to avert trade war
TURNBERRY, Scotland, July 27 (Reuters) - The United States struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union on Sunday, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods, half the threatened rate, and averting a bigger trade war between two allies that account for almost a third of global trade. U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal at Trump's luxury golf course in western Scotland after an hour-long meeting that pushed the hard-fought deal over the line. "I think this is the biggest deal ever made," Trump told reporters, lauding EU plans to invest some $600 billion in the United States and dramatically increase its purchases of U.S. energy and military equipment. Trump said the deal, which tops a $550 billion deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of U.S. exporters. Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, said the 15% tariff applied "across the board", later telling reporters it was "the best we could get." "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal. It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability," she said. The deal, which Trump said calls for $750 billion of EU purchases of U.S. energy in coming years and "hundreds of billions of dollars" of arms purchases, likely spells good news for a host of EU companies, including Airbus, Mercedes-Benz and Novo Nordisk, if all the details hold. The baseline 15% tariff will still be seen by many in Europe as too high, compared with Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff deal, though it is better than the threatened 30% rate. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. German carmakers, VW, Mercedes and BMW were some of the hardest hit by the 27.5% U.S. tariff on car and parts imports now in place. But Bernd Lange, the German Social Democrat who heads the European Parliament's trade committee, said the tariffs were imbalanced and the hefty EU investment earmarked for the U.S. would likely come at the bloc's own expense. The euro rose around 0.2% against the dollar, sterling and yen within an hour of the deal's being announced. The deal mirrors key parts of the framework accord reached by the U.S. with Japan last week, but like that deal, it leaves many questions open, including tariff rates on spirits, a highly charged topic for many on both sides of the Atlantic. Carsten Nickel, deputy director of research at Teneo, said it was "merely a high-level, political agreement" that could not replace a carefully hammered out trade deal: "This, in turn, creates the risk of different interpretations along the way, as seen immediately after the conclusion of the U.S.-Japan deal." "We are agreeing that the tariff ... for automobiles and everything else will be a straight-across tariff of 15%," Trump said, but he quickly added that a 50% U.S. tariff on steel and aluminum will remain in place. Von der Leyen said that tariff would be cut and replaced with a quota system. Von der Leyen said the rate also applied to semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, and there would be no tariffs from either side on aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. Trump appeared to suggest pharmaceuticals would not be covered, leaving some question about that aspect of the deal. No fact sheet was immediately issued by the White House. "We will keep working to add more products to this list," von der Leyen said, adding that spirits were still under discussion. Eric Winograd, chief economist at AllianceBernstein in New York, noted the similarity with Japan's U.S. deal. "We will need to see how long the sides stick to the deal. From a market perspective, it is reassuring in the sense that having a deal is better than not having a deal," he said. The deal will be sold as a triumph for Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits, and has already reached similar framework accords with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has not hit its goal of "90 deals in 90 days." He has periodically railed against the European Union, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. Arriving in Scotland, Trump said the EU wanted "to make a deal very badly" and said, as he met von der Leyen, that Europe had been "very unfair to the United States". Trump has fumed for years about the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $235 billion, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU points to the U.S. surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance. Now he argues, his tariffs are bringing in "hundreds of billions of dollars" of revenues for the U.S., while dismissing warnings from economists about the risk of inflation. On July 12, Trump threatened to apply a 30% tariff on imports from the EU starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations with the major U.S. trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal. The EU had prepared countertariffs on 93 billion euros ($109 billion) of U.S. goods in the event there was no deal, and Trump made good his 30% tariff threat. Some member states had also pushed for the bloc to use its most powerful trade weapon, the anti-coercion instrument, to target U.S. services in the event of a no-deal.
