'Without the skilled work of our members, the company doesn't make money."
Unite the union, the country’s leading trade union for defence and aerospace, has slammed military-industrial giant BAE Systems for making obscene profits while at the same time refusing to pay its workers a fair wage.
The union has also criticised BAE for attempting union-busting high court injunctions to prevent strikes.
The latest financial results show BAE’s full year operating profits increased by 12% to £3.32 billion. Meanwhile skilled workers at their Lancashire factories in Warton and Salmesbury are being forced to take industrial action due to a poor pay offer and assault on their terms and conditions.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “These profits are nothing short of obscene. BAE is making billions from government contracts and yet refuses to pay our members what they are worth. This is completely unacceptable – without the skilled work of our members, the company doesn’t make money.”
Additionally, it’s most recent trading statement shows that BAE Systems shareholders received £1.5bn in dividends in 2025.
In 2025, workers had a pay deal of 3.6 per cent imposed against their will, which was below the rate of inflation, and which represents a real terms pay cut.
Staff who work within the professional services areas of BAE Systems including aerospace engineers are furious that this is also below a pay offer made and accepted by BAE Systems shop floor colleagues, who received 4.5 per cent increase and an additional day of annual leave.
Unite regional officer Ross Quinn added: “Our members are furious at the lack of a decent offer; thousands of members crashed the company IT as they all tried to vote to reject the latest one as soon as the ballot opened. They will continue to demonstrate their anger on the picket line this month.
“BAE Systems continues to act in bad faith and with no real desire to resolve this dispute. Their actions mean workers’ anger continues to grow. This won’t end until BAE Systems come to their senses.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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