Hyundai Motor Company and its labor union reached a pivotal agreement on Friday, outlining plans to hire 1,100 new manufacturing employees by 2026.
This decision emerged during the tenth round of negotiations, focusing on wage adjustments and working conditions, held at the company’s Ulsan plant, approximately 299 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Initially, the discussions stipulated the addition of 300 production workers in the coming year.
However, in the latest developments, both parties have now settled on increasing the workforce by an additional 500 employees next year, followed by an increment of 300 by 2026.
The union’s push for increased hiring stems partly from the annual retirement of approximately 2,000 production staff members and the impending launch of Hyundai Motor’s new electric vehicle factory in Ulsan scheduled for 2025.
Earlier this week, the prospect of a strike loomed large as nearly 90 percent of unionized workers voted in favor of such action following a deadlock in the annual wage negotiations.
Although the union has not yet decided on whether to proceed with the strike, it would mark the first such action by Hyundai Motor’s union in six years.
The decision not to strike in recent years reflects considerations including the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and national trade dynamics.
The agreement underscores Hyundai Motor’s proactive stance in addressing labor demands amidst broader industrial transitions and market developments.
