On February 11, 2026, the Airbus Group 20261 negotiations officially open. These will be followed by specific negotiations within each company2. The 2025 salary policy results are far from satisfactory. In 2026, Management will likely attempt to impose even more austerity to honor its promise to shareholders: paying out up to 50% of profits in dividends3. To create the necessary conditions to meet the legitimate demands of all employees, the CGT is putting forward its initial requirements.
2025 Review: A salary policy that devalues us
The facts are clear: the salary policy of recent years has failed to protect our purchasing power or allow for career progression for everyone. Management expects commitment and motivation from employees, but it will not achieve this with such a flawed salary policy.
- The drop in monthly minimums (SMH): Today, the first SMH level of the Airbus grid (A1 class) has been overtaken by the minimum wage (SMIC). Furthermore, Airbus SMH levels for classes 8, 9, 10, 13, and 14 are now lower than the metallurgy industry standards (UIMM grid applicable as of 01/01/2024).
- The classification scandal: Airbus is failing to apply the methodology of the new Metallurgy National Collective Bargaining Agreement. The actual job performed is not taken into account, and its classification is undervalued. As a result, the applicable SMH levels are lower than they should be, providing a pretext for zero pay rises and effectively blocking salary progression.
- No automatic minimum adjustment: Currently, when the monthly SMH exceeds the actual monthly salary, the latter is not automatically adjusted to close the gap. Instead, it only triggers a compensatory bonus paid before May of the following year—a bonus that is cancelled in the event of a move to a lower-level position.
Salary is the payment for our labor power
For the CGT, salary policy must compensate for inflation and ensure career development, while recognizing experience and qualifications.
- Recognizing experience and qualifications: The more you work, the more expertise you gain, and training improves your qualifications. Your « labor power » gains value over time; therefore, your salary should progress accordingly. See the CGT Salary Booklet (in French) below.
- Cooperation vs. Competition: Fair wages with guaranteed career progression prevent competition between colleagues and instead foster mutual aid and cooperation. With higher salaries, the employer is incentivized to upgrade job classifications.
- Gender equality, not in a century: Wage gaps persist and remain unjustified. The « token measures » of a few tenths of a percent in catch-up pay each year would only achieve equality in several decades… Management is clearly not providing the financial resources to reach equality quickly.
Key Figures:
2025
Inflation (HICP): 0.7%
2021-2025
Inflation (HICP): 18%
General Increase (GI): 8%
GI + Individual Increase: 16%
How is wealth shared?
The 2024 annual results confirmed the group’s exceptional health: €5.3bn in profits, with €2.3bn paid in dividends—equivalent to €15,100 per group employee! Industrial prospects are equally outstanding, with a backlog of over 9,000 aircraft.
On February 19, 2026, Airbus will present its 2025 annual results. They will likely be even better. This is the fruit of our labor over the past year.
We demand a fair share of the wealth for those who create it: us, the employees!
CGT Demands for 2026
The CGT presents a clear and costed project for everyone, both blue-collar and white-collar workers:
- Retroactivity of the salary policy to January 1st,
- SMH A1 at €2,000 gross monthly to guarantee a dignified wage from the start of the Airbus grid and pull the rest of the scale upwards,
- Automatic monthly salary adjustment as soon as they are caught up by the minimums (SMH),
- Aligning the job description with the actual job performed, with an upward revision of classification where applicable,
- Gender pay equality: a dedicated and binding budget for real equality,
- Sick pay subrogation: meaning total salary maintenance without the employee having to advance daily social security allowances,
- A more linear SMH grid: allowing for progressive career development without glass ceilings.
The CGT Approach: Your opinion matters!
We will consult you in the coming days to gather your expectations regarding the 2026 salary policy.
Your feedback will guide the CGT’s position. Management will only make concessions if the balance of power shifts in favor of employees through mobilization. On the contrary, without significant collective action, Management will continue to prioritize its logic of distributing profits to shareholders.
Let’s organize,
Let’s mobilize,
Let’s demand what we are owed!
Join the CGT!
syndicat.cgt@airbus.com
- SMH grids, seniority points, and effective dates for the salary policies of the Group’s companies ↩︎
- Budget, General Increases (GI), Individual Increases (II), floor measures (minimum guaranteed increases), and specific budgets ↩︎
- Statement by Airbus Management at the Paris Air Show on June 18, 2025 ↩︎