United Kingdom - Strike threat at defence company - February 28, 2026

More than 1,200 workers at defence manufacturer BAE Systems in northwest England announced strike action after negotiations with management over wages broke down. The workers, represented by the Unite trade union, accused the company of imposing a 3.6% pay increase for 2025 without agreement and argued that the rise is below inflation, effectively cutting real wages. Unite stated that employees would begin strike action on 2 February 2026, with walkouts planned through at least 20 February unless a new offer is negotiated.

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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.