> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.adriadefense.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 300 Workers Protest at Romania’s IAR Ghimbav Helicopter Factory Over Pay and Workload - URL: https://www.adriadefense.com/300-workers-protest-at-romanias-iar-ghimbav-helicopter-factory-over-pay-and-workload/ - Published: 2026-10-28T08:04:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-28T08:04:00.000Z - Description: Around 300 workers at Romania's IAR Ghimbav helicopter factory protested over blocked salary increases and limited new manufacturing work, raising concerns about domestic defense industry employment. - Author: AdriaDefense Desk - Tags: Jobs, Romania, CEE, IAR Ghimbav, Helicopters Approximately 300 employees at Romania's IAR Ghimbav aerospace factory staged a protest on October 12, 2026, demanding salary adjustments and additional manufacturing contracts as concerns grow over the future workload of the country's helicopter industry. The demonstration took place inside the company's facilities near Brașov and was organised by the ICA Ghimbav trade union. Workers expressed dissatisfaction with the government's decision to block salary increases negotiated earlier this year, while remuneration for members of the company's board of directors increased more than fourfold. The protest also raised questions about how Romania's expanding military procurement budget will translate into manufacturing activity and skilled employment at domestic aerospace facilities. ## Workers Demand 6.5% Salary Adjustment According to trade union representatives, employees had negotiated a salary adjustment linked to inflation in June 2026. The increase, reportedly equivalent to 6.5%, was incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement but has not been implemented because of Romanian government restrictions. Workers contrasted the situation with a substantial increase in board remuneration. Union president Șuba Arpad said board members' gross allowances had risen from approximately RON 4,720 to RON 20,400. The union maintains that the difference between management remuneration and employee salary adjustments has contributed to growing dissatisfaction among the workforce. Romania's interim Economy Minister, Irineu Darău, defended the revised board compensation arrangements, explaining that they were based on company performance and a broader remuneration framework rather than discretionary rewards. Darău also stressed the importance of ensuring that state-controlled companies deliver measurable results, preserve skilled employment and support technology transfer. ## Union Warns of Insufficient Workload Beyond pay, the union expressed concern about the availability of new manufacturing contracts. According to its representatives, labour workload at IAR Ghimbav had fallen below 20% by the time of the October protest. The figure is a union assessment of available work and should not be treated as a verified measurement of the factory's overall production capacity. Earlier company reporting presented a different operational picture. IAR's first-half 2026 results showed operating revenue of approximately RON 289.9 million, up from RON 224.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025\. The company also reported a positive financial result. Local reporting based on its interim financial statements cited a capacity utilisation figure of approximately 90% for the first half of the year. The figures cover different periods and measures, meaning they cannot be directly compared with the union's October assessment of labour workload. Nevertheless, the protest demonstrates concern among employees about the longer-term continuity of work in a sector that depends heavily on government contracts and maintenance programmes. Union representatives have given Romanian authorities until December 15 to address salary adjustments and improve the company's order prospects. ## Airbus H225M Procurement Raises Questions About Romanian Industrial Participation The protest comes shortly after Airbus confirmed Romania's acquisition of 12 H225M Caracal military helicopters under the European Union's SAFE financing framework. As [AdriaDefense reported on October 9](https://www.adriadefense.com/airbus-confirms-romanias-eur757-million-h225m-helicopter-order-under-eu-safe-program/), the procurement is valued at approximately €757 million and includes logistics and personnel training. The programme also forms part of a wider effort to replace Romania's ageing IAR-330 Puma helicopter fleet. Industrial participation by IAR is an important consideration in Romania's longer-term helicopter modernisation plans. Airbus and Romanian authorities have discussed opportunities for additional local assembly and manufacturing work, particularly in connection with a possible follow-on acquisition. However, the first 12 H225M helicopters are already covered by the existing procurement arrangement, while larger-scale industrial participation remains dependent on further programme decisions. The IAR trade union has questioned whether the factory will receive enough work from the procurement programme to secure additional manufacturing activity. No confirmed workshare allocation or new employment commitment resulting from the H225M order has been publicly established for the Ghimbav workforce. ## Employment and Skills Remain Central to Romania’s Defense Industry IAR Ghimbav is an established Romanian aerospace manufacturer involved in helicopter production, modernisation, repair and maintenance. The company reported an average workforce of 366 employees in 2025, according to Romanian company registry data. Its activities include work associated with Romania's IAR-330 Puma helicopter fleet, making the factory part of the country's existing military aviation support infrastructure. The latest developments raise a broader industrial policy question: how Romania can connect growing defense expenditure with sustained domestic manufacturing activity and specialised employment. As [AdriaDefense previously reported](https://www.adriadefense.com/romania-approves-2027-2036-military-procurement-plan/), Romania has approved a military procurement framework covering 2027–2036, alongside a longer-term transformation programme for its armed forces. The procurement pipeline creates opportunities for Romanian manufacturers, but new government spending does not automatically translate into domestic production contracts. For IAR Ghimbav, the priorities identified by employees include predictable workloads, the implementation of negotiated salary arrangements and meaningful participation in future helicopter programmes. The coming weeks will indicate whether discussions between the union, company management and Romanian authorities can produce concrete measures before the December 15 deadline. **Sources:** *TVR, AGERPRES, Radio România Actualități.*