Staff had been furious at the lack of a fair pay award after seeing colleagues in other parts of the BAE business being awarded pay rises and decided to take industrial action.
Unite the union workers at BAE Systems are celebrating a huge pay victory after strike action.
Thousands of workers at BAE Systems aerospace factories in Lancashire have won a significant, above inflation pay award after months of industrial action supported by Unite, the UK’s leading aerospace and defence union.
Workers at the factories at Warton and Samlesbury have secured a pay rise worth six per cent overall as well as additional annual leave and a one-off payment.
Staff had been furious at the lack of a fair pay award after seeing colleagues in other parts of the BAE business being awarded pay rises and decided to take industrial action.
Despite attempts by BAE in the High Court to try and block a legitimate strike, workers shut down the factories repeatedly in December, January and February.
Unite general sectary Sharon Graham said: “It has taken a courageous stance from our workers on a picket line to win this award. They should be congratulated for standing together and winning a pay rise they truly deserve.”
Staff have been awarded a 4.8 per cent award backdated to 1 January and a further 0.75 per cent from 1 October 2026. All staff will receive an additional day of annual leave while Unite members receive a one-off further days leave. All staff are due to receive a one-off £500 and a half-hour earlier finish time each day.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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