Aircraft workers vote to strike over pay offer

Hundreds of aircraft factory workers have voted to strike over a below-inflation pay offer.

GKN employs about 1,500 staff at its site in Filton, near Bristol, who manufacture vital components for civil and military aircraft for companies like Airbus and BAE Systems.

It comes after Peter Dilnot, CEO of GKN's parent company Melrose Industries, received a bonus of £45.4m for the 2024 financial year, the single biggest bonus in the FTSE 100 list of directors.

A spokesperson from GKN said they were "disappointed" in the strike action after the company posed "what we believe to be a fair and responsible offer" of 3.3%.

"Our goal remains to continue constructive dialogue and work together to reach an agreement that recognises our employees' contributions while ensuring a sustainable future for the site," they added.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "GKN needs to understand that Unite will not allow such profiteering on the backs of workers."

"GKN is hugely profitable and can easily afford a proper pay rise for these highly skilled and valuable aerospace workers," she added.

According to the union, Dilnot's total compensation, which was part of a £208m pot shared with three other directors, was 1,112 times more than the average Melrose/GKN worker's salary.

In April 2025, nearly two-thirds of Melrose shareholders voted against the directors' remuneration report in an advisory vote, labelling the payouts as "excessive".

Unite regional officer Shevaun Hunt said members were "fed up with their pay being chipped away year after year and outpaced by other nearby companies".

"Yet GKN claims there is no money while paying its directors millions in salary and bonuses.

"It is a disgrace and now it will see its factory grind to a halt. Unite will fully support our members, for as long as it takes to get an improved deal," Hunt added.

Dave Harvey, the BBC's business correspondent in the West of England, said the walkout would be "big news in Bristol".

"The Filton aircraft works is the city's most famous factory," he explained.

"It's where Concorde was built and they still make vital wing parts for Airbus jets today.

"Around 1,500 GKN staff work alongside Airbus teams on the wings for most of the company's passenger planes.

"Any disruption to what is a highly precision production line will be very significant for the company," he added.

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