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As Hyundai Motor Group introduced plans to deploy Atlas, the humanoid robotic from its subsidiary Boston Dynamics, into manufacturing unit operations, the Hyundai Motor union has launched full-scale opposition, citing threats to employment.
Ought to the Hyundai Motor union proceed to strike utilizing this as a pretext, it will mark the primary time in roughly one and a half years because the U.S. port union battle that the job struggle between people and robots turns into a public challenge.
Concerning this improvement, trade voices have criticized that whereas the union itself acknowledges that automation by robots demonstrates larger effectivity than human enter, they’re unilaterally demanding solely their very own rights.
Beforehand in the USA, logistics unions have additionally engaged in battle beneath the banner of opposing robotic automation. With Hyundai Motor’s labor-management negotiations approaching this yr’s wage and collective bargaining agreements, considerations over summer time labor battle are already rising.
Based on trade insiders on Jan. 25, the Hyundai Motor union just lately introduced by its e-newsletter that “abroad manufacturing quantity switch and new expertise introduction (robotic automation) can’t be tolerated with out labor-management settlement.”
The union warned, “Primarily based on a mean annual wage of 100 million gained, working 24 hours requires three folks (300 million gained) in labor prices, however robots solely incur upkeep prices after preliminary buy, offering good justification for capitalists in search of long-term revenue maximization,” and “with out labor-management settlement on new expertise introduction, not a single robotic can enter the office.”
The Hyundai Motor union cited job discount as the premise for his or her opposition. Their reasoning is that as robots exchange human jobs, staff’ employment will lower. Hyundai Motor Group introduced at CES 2026 earlier this yr that it will deploy Atlas within the components sorting course of at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, U.S., beginning in 2028, and assign high-difficulty components meeting beginning in 2030.
Hyundai Motor’s labor-management relations noticed their seven-year strike-free file damaged throughout final yr’s collective bargaining, and stress is rising relating to this yr’s negotiations. Some union members have reportedly already requested the union management to incorporate opposition to robotic introduction as a serious negotiating merchandise within the collective bargaining.
Points comparable to retirement age extension and the introduction of a 4.5-day work week, which had been key components of final yr’s collective bargaining, stay unresolved and are all immediately associated to employment.
Moreover, ought to unions from associates comparable to Hyundai Glovis and Hyundai Mobis additionally oppose robotic introduction, Atlas would develop into the veritable public enemy of all Hyundai Motor Group unions.
Significantly in sectors comparable to logistics the place automation has progressed significantly, the robotic challenge is predicted to function extra sensitively.
Labor-management battle over robots has already develop into a public challenge in the USA. Beforehand, the Worldwide Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILA) went on strike in October 2024 after negotiations for wage will increase and automation prevention measures collapsed at roughly 30 main U.S. ports.
Based on the Monetary Instances on the time, the strike brought about the U.S. economic system to lose $4.5 billion (roughly 6.5 trillion gained) per day.
The trade views automation conversion of current vegetation as difficult, however considers manufacturing innovation for brand spanking new vegetation important for international manufacturing competitiveness. HMGMA in Georgia, U.S., which started operations in late 2024, reportedly employs solely 880 staff for a manufacturing line of 100,000 models primarily based on robotic automation charges. Significantly, as Hyundai Motor is presently constructing an electrical automobile (EV)-dedicated plant throughout the Ulsan plant focusing on operation within the first half of this yr, medium to long-term deployment at Korean amenities is critical.
As compared, Korean vegetation’ manufacturing effectivity considerably lags behind different international bases. Based on information from Hyundai Motor’s 2024 Sustainability Administration Report and different sources, home vegetation’ per-person productiveness is estimated at 40-50 models per particular person.
Hyundai Motor’s home plant workforce is estimated at roughly 42,000 (Ulsan 32,000, Asan 4,000, Jeonju 6,000). Primarily based on this, easy calculation towards final yr’s home manufacturing quantity (1,858,136 models) yields 44 models per particular person.
In distinction, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) produced 360,000 models final yr with 4,305 staff, calculating to 83.6 models per particular person. Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech (HMMC) calculates to 115.7 models per particular person, Hyundai Motor India (HMI) to 66.6 models, and Hyundai Motor Brazil (HMB) to 65.9 models.
Gwangju International Motors (GGM), which produces the Hyundai Casper, deliberately diminished automation charges in some manufacturing strains for labor enter consistent with the “Gwangju-type Jobs” mannequin idea, however criticism suggests this significance has light as labor-management battle has continued since final yr.
Consultants increase considerations that if robotic deployment is delayed solely at Korean vegetation beneath these circumstances, international manufacturing effectivity would lag, probably dropping worth as a world hub.
Prof. Kim Pil-soo of Daelim College’s Future Automotive Division acknowledged, “Sooner or later mobility period, enhancing manufacturing effectivity by robotic automation is essential to staying forward in international markets together with China,” and “if Atlas is deployed at abroad bases whereas home introduction is blocked, the importance of the Korean base would disappear.”
He continued, “Robots are deployed for work that’s harmful for people or threatens security, enabling 24-hour operation and lowering staff’ labor depth,” and “this must be considered as an necessary position in creating new robo-mobility markets.”
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