On 08 February, CFE-CGC, CFTC and FO, the three trade unions of the Airbus aerospace group’s helicopter production subsidiary, signed several agreements in a bid to safeguard the future of its two French sites, by ‘helping to create the conditions for sustainable development’ at the sites via ‘cost cutting’ to improve ‘economic performance that frees up the financial resources needed to invest and ensure the future of its business.’ For the signatory trade unions, this is a ‘German-style’ competitiveness agreement.
Amid a helicopter market that is currently at its lowest level in 20 years and has a highly uncertain future ahead of it, the three trade unions have been negotiating these agreements since September 2020, with the aim of securing the future of the sites by negotiating cost reductions, and improving competitiveness. The social partners identified five competitiveness components on which the agreements can operate:
- optimization of social costs;
- flexibility and efficiency of working hours;
- pro-active adaptation of skills and jobs;
- recognition of skills and performance;
- employee experience.
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