Aero employees will get a pay rise

Vodochody, March 18, 2024 – Aero has signed a collective agreement for 2024, which will result in an average wage increase of 5 percent. In addition, the company is increasing monthly bonuses to 15 percent of wages for blue-collar occupations, increasing selected shift allowances by 10 to 40 percent, and continuing to pay “Share of Success” bonuses for meeting targets, up to CZK 45,000. It is also raising the lunch allowance, which will be free for employees. The collective agreement is effective from 1 April 2024.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the union and its chairman for their constructive approach during the negotiations, which enabled us to find a common solution. Negotiating the collective agreement was challenging but fair. This cooperation moves us forward not only as professionals but also as a collective. I appreciate that together we have found terms that will motivate our employees and support our collective efforts to allow Aero to grow. Our goal is not only to strengthen production but also to improve conditions for our workers,” said Viktor Sotona, President and CEO of Aero, after the collective agreement.

On 14 March, the basic organization of the KOVO trade union AERO VODOCHODY AEROSPACE and AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s. concluded a collective agreement. In it, they have agreed, among other things, to increase wages by an average of 5 percent from 1 April 2024. Aero employees will also see an increase in selected fringe benefits of 10 to 40 percent per month. For blue-collar occupations, monthly bonuses will rise to 15 percent of pay. Aero will continue to pay the financial reward it introduced last year, the “Share of Success” for meeting annual targets of CZK 20,000 to CZK 45,000. The employer’s meal allowance is also being increased to CZK 100 per shift worked, so employees can choose three free lunches each day. 

“Over the past three years, we have been transforming our corporate culture and work environment to improve the conditions of our employees and adequately reward their work. Our vision was to become not only a place to work, but a truly exceptional workplace. I am proud to say that we have made remarkable progress on this journey over three years – reducing the working week to 37.5 hours, introducing new benefits of CZK 48,000 per year for each employee and a significant 30 per cent increase in basic wages for our workers, supplemented by a 13th pay bonus. In addition, we have opened a new canteen offering quality, nutritionally balanced food, which will now be free for our employees. These steps bring us closer to our goal of being a place where it is good to work and where everyone feels truly appreciated and motivated,” adds Luboš Tejkl, Aero’s Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.

Aero is a major employer, employing more than 1,700 people. Over a hundred positions are open for both professionals with know-how and workers from a wide range of trades. Last year, Aero opened a new development center in Brno. It also cooperates with a number of secondary schools and universities, providing practical and professional support and enabling top-quality employment in research and development. Employees at Aero get stable jobs in the attractive field of aircraft manufacturing with a wide range of job opportunities and further training.

AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s. focuses on the development, production, maintenance, and modernization of military and civil aircraft and is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest aircraft manufacturers in the world. In the field of its own aircraft, Aero is a permanent partner of a number of military air forces and has a strong position in the market for military trainer and light combat aircraft. With 11,000 aircraft produced in its 100 years of existence, hundreds of L-39 Albatros aircraft still in service with dozens of military operators and a number of demo teams, and especially with its new L-39NG aircraft, Aero has established itself as a leader in the global jet trainer market. In the civil aviation sector, Aero works with major aircraft manufacturers on a wide range of projects and is a partner in several risk-sharing programs, where it is responsible not only for the manufacture and assembly of aircraft assemblies, but also for their development.