UK employees of Italian defence company Leonardo are on the brink of strike action after rejecting a pay rise proposal.
Unite, a British trade union, claimed that ballots are being cast by nearly 3,000 workers across multiple sites in Yeovil, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Luton and Basildon.
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The potential industrial action follows what union officials describe as a “poor pay offer” of 3.2% from Leonardo, which workers argue constitutes a pay cut in real terms.
If the ballot favours strike action, it could lead to picket lines and potential shutdowns at the affected factories. The voting process is set to continue until early October.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members are highly skilled and work on critical defence and aerospace systems yet are being short-changed by a company making billions.
“Leonardo needs to do the right thing, come back to the negotiating table and make an improved offer our members can accept.”
Leonardo is one of the major players in the defence industry. Its portfolio includes helicopters, aircraft, aerospace components, electronics and cybersecurity solutions.
The Italian company reported revenues close to €18bn ($21.2bn) and profits exceeding €1.5bn in 2024.
Unite aerospace national officer Rhys McCarthy said: “Leonardo is incredibly wealthy and makes billions from UK Government contracts. It is entirely unacceptable that it sees fit to make a poor pay offer to a highly skilled and valuable workforce.
“Unite is making it clear that unless Leonardo quickly returns to the negotiating table with an improved offer, they will see the anger of their workforce on the picket line.”
The potential strike follows Leonardo’s inclusion on LinkedIn’s 2025 Top Companies list as an employer offering strong career growth in the UK.
The company is also the sole representative from the UK’s aerospace and defence sector on the list.
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