Labor tensions surrounding the sale of Hyundai Mobis's automotive lamp business have intensified. On July 30, the union held a rally demanding the suspension of the main contract with French auto parts company OP Mobility, while the company stated that the contract schedule has not yet been finalized.
The Hyundai Mobis Office Research Workers' Union gathered in front of the Hyundai Mobis headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, to call for the halt of the stock purchase agreement (SPA) with OP Mobility, the preferred bidder for the lamp business.
According to the union, Hyundai Mobis plans to spin off the lamp business into a newly established corporation by September and sell shares of that corporation to OP Mobility by the end of the year. The union believes that the company will hold an extraordinary board meeting on July 31 to finalize the main contract with OP Mobility.
Kim Jong-in, the union's secretary, stated, "This is the first time a regular division of the Hyundai Motor Group is being transferred to a foreign company. The company is attempting to push through the main contract with only formal explanations, without providing specific details regarding employee employment and treatment."
The Hyundai Mobis lamp division employs about 600 people, with approximately 400 of them, excluding new hires, reportedly being subject to transfer. The union claims that the criteria and treatment for these employees have not been clearly outlined.
During the rally, the union demanded the disclosure of transfer criteria, the establishment of an official tripartite consultation body involving Hyundai Mobis, the Office Research Workers' Union, and OP Mobility, and guarantees based on individual employee consent. They also plan to pursue legal action, including a lawsuit to confirm the invalidity of the transfer and a request for a provisional injunction, if the main contract is signed.
In response, a Hyundai Mobis official stated, "The schedule for signing the main contract with OP Mobility has not yet been determined," adding that the sale of the lamp business is a strategy to secure global competitiveness.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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