Reports – Airbus to start talks with unions on permanent job cuts

Several media reports have emerged over the past day or so suggesting Airbus is ‘exploring’ restructuring plans involving the possibility of “deep” job cuts.

Reuters News Agency has said ‘industry sources’ are suggesting that while ‘no decision is imminent, Airbus could axe more than 10,000 staff’ following the collapse in air travel in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Reuters goes onto say: “Executives are due to hold a high-level conference call next week to thrash out details of where the blow will fall among the company’s 134,000 staff amid the worst ever crisis for the industry.”

Reuters cites Airbus ‘insiders’ as their source, they have said ‘restructuring plan would involve forced redundancies and cutbacks were expected to be deep’ but ‘cautioned it was too early to talk of specific numbers.’

The Reuters report said Chief Executive Guillaume Faury is expected to update managers on Thursday

“Under French law, Toulouse-based Airbus cannot disclose restructuring plans internally before consulting trade unions through a formal exercise not expected before the end of May.”

The Daily Telegraph reports that cuts will be “imminent and savage”, adding: “Boeing cut 10 per cent of its workforce and something along the same lines is expected”.

The report said Airbus management held talks with employee representatives in Europe last week in which they set out the bleak imminent future for the company.

Around half of the staff at the Airbus wing factory in Broughton have been furloughed under the UK government’s job retention scheme.

Production and support staff have been furloughed over a staggered three week period due to a reduced rate in aircraft production.

At the same time hundreds of highly skilled contract workers employed at Airbus by Guidant Global – many of them have been working at Broughton for years – were told they face redundancy.

An Airbus spokesperson told Deeside.com this morning: “Over the last few weeks, Airbus has implemented a number of financial, operational and social measures in order to adapt to the severe health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

The company will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the future of Airbus in cooperation with its social partners.

Airbus doesn’t comment on speculation relating to internal meetings.”

Sources: 

Airbus set to axe 10,000 jobs: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/05/13/airbus-set-axe-10000-jobs/

Airbus examining restructuring including job cuts: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-airbus-restructuring/airbus-examining-restructuring-including-job-cuts-sources-idUSKBN22P2NQ