Hyundai Motor workers plan fresh strikes amid wage dispute

Hyundai Motor is facing renewed labor unrest in South Korea as its 40,000-member union prepares fresh rounds of partial strikes following failed wage negotiations. The union has scheduled four-hour strikes for upcoming weekdays, with longer walkouts planned for the end of the week.

The dispute centers on significant differences in compensation packages. The union is seeking a monthly base-pay increase of 149,600 won and a performance bonus equal to 30 per cent of the company’s previous year's net profit. Management has countered with a proposed increase of approximately 80,000 to 89,000 won, additional incentives, and 15 shares of company stock per worker.

Beyond wages, negotiations involve job security concerns regarding the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics in factories, including the potential use of humanoid technology. Previous industrial actions have already resulted in estimated sales losses of approximately 1.27 billion won. These disruptions coincide with a period of declining global sales for the automaker, which reported a 5.1 per cent year-on-year decrease in July.