A number of notable strikes and labour disputes related to aviation have occurred since the 20th century.
20th century 1930s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References Century Airlines pilots' strike 1932 United States Century Air Lines Pilots ALPA Wages
1940s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References Royal Air Force strikes of 1946 1946 British Raj Royal Indian Air Force 1946 TWA strike 1946 United States Trans World Airlines Pilots 1948 Boeing strike 1948 United States Boeing Machinists IAM Seniority benefits, wages
1950s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 1958–59 Eastern Air Lines strike 1958–1959 United States Eastern Air Lines Flight engineers, mechanics Regulations that flight engineers obtain pilots' licences, wages
1960s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 1960–62 Southern Airways strike 1960-1962 United States Southern Airways Pilots ALPA Wages 1961 United States flight engineers strike 1961 United States Multiple Flight engineers Regulations that flight engineers obtain pilots' licences 1966 Qantas strike 1966 Australia Qantas Pilots AFAP Aviation safety 1966 United States airline strike 1966 United States Multiple IAM 1967–69 BOAC strikes 1967-1969 United Kingdom BOAC Pilots
1970s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 1971 Lufthansa strike 1971 West Germany Lufthansa First strike in Lufthansa history
1980s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 1980 Singapore Airlines Pilots Association strike 1980 Singapore Singapore Airlines Pilots SIPA 1981 Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization strike 1981 United States Air traffic controllers PATCO Working conditions 1981–82 El Al strikes 1981-1982 Israel El Al Multiple 1983–85 Continental Airlines strikes 1983–1985 United States Continental Airlines Mechanics, pilots, flight attendants IAM, ALPA, AFA Wages, benefits, union busting 1985 Pan Am strike 1985 United States Pan Am Mechanics TWU 1985 United Airlines strike 1985 United States United Airlines Pilots, flight attendants ALPA, AFA Two-tier system for wages, strikebreaking 1989 Eastern Air Lines strike 1989 United States Eastern Air Lines Multiple IAM, ALPA, AFA Wages, benefits, union busting 1989 Australian pilots' dispute 1989 Australia Multiple Pilots AFAP Wages 1989 Boeing strike 1989 United States Boeing Machinists IAM Wages
1990s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 1993 Air France strike 1993 France Air France 1993 Cathay Pacific strike 1993 British Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Flight attendants Staffing levels 1993 American Airlines strike 1993 United States American Airlines Flight attendants AFA 1998 Air Canada strike 1998 Canada Air Canada Pilots
21st century 2000s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 2005 Asiana Airlines strike 2005 South Korea Asiana Airlines Pilots Scheduling, retirement age, management 2005 Gate Gourmet dispute 2005 United Kingdom Gategroup Caterers TGWU Use of non-unionised workers 2006–2007 Brazilian aviation crisis 2006–2007 Brazil Air traffic controllers Aviation safety 2008 Boeing machinists' strike 2008 United States Boeing Machinists IAM Outsourcing, job security, wages 2009 New Caledonia unrest 2009 New Caledonia Air Calédonie USTKE
2010s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References Spanish air traffic controllers' strike 2010 Spain Air traffic controllers Working conditions, work schedules, benefits First declaration of a state of alert under military law by the Spanish government since the 1975 restoration of democracy 2011 Qantas industrial disputes 2011 Australia Qantas Engineers, pilots, baggage handlers 2012 Air India strike 2012 India Air India Pilots Boeing 787 Dreamliner training, merger with Indian Airlines 2014 Air France strike 2014 France Air France Pilots 2016 China Airlines flight attendants' strike 2016 Taiwan China Airlines Flight attendants TFAU First flight attendants' strike in Taiwan history
2020s Strike Date Country Organisations Type of worker Unions Main issues Notes References 2020–2021 Rolls-Royce Barnoldswick strikes 2020-2021 United Kingdom Rolls-Royce Holdings Machinists Offshoring 2024 Boeing machinists' strike 2024 United States Boeing Machinists IAM Wages 2024 Bombardier strike 2024 Canada Bombardier Inc. Machinists Unifor Wages, benefits 2025 Air Canada flight attendants strike 2025 Canada Air Canada Flight attendants CUPE Wages, compensation for unpaid work 2025 Boeing machinists' strike 2025 United States Boeing Machinists IAM Wages 2025 FlySafair strike 2025 South Africa FlySafair Pilots Solidarity Wages, rostering
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