Hyundai Motor Group's major affiliate unions are set to meet again after nearly four months. They are expected to discuss various labor issues, including retirement age extensions. This meeting marks a significant opportunity for enhanced joint responses, as there has not been a regular meeting among the affiliate unions previously.
According to industry sources on September 9, the Kia Motors union is pushing for a gathering of union representatives from major affiliates, including Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Rotem, and Hyundai Wia, after the Chuseok holiday. While the final list of attendees has not been confirmed, it is anticipated that most affiliates will participate.
This will be the first time since June that the group of affiliate unions has convened. At that time, the Kia Motors union sent a notice to 38 union branches and chapters regarding the '2026 Struggle Victory and Discussion on 100,000 Union Workers' initiative, which included not only affiliates but also parts suppliers, leading to actual meetings.
During the upcoming meeting, the unions plan to evaluate the overall process of joint responses regarding this year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations, as well as discuss future labor issues comprehensively. Key agenda items include job security related to the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and robots, extending the retirement age to 65, and increasing performance bonuses.
A representative from one of the affiliate unions stated, "There was a suggestion to meet and discuss directly among the major affiliate unions. It seems we will gather key representatives after Chuseok."
Industry observers suggest that this meeting could strengthen the alliance among unions within Hyundai Motor Group, potentially raising the level of joint responses. In June, the primary and subcontractor unions began to unite, but some affiliates entered individual negotiations, preventing large-scale joint actions.
In this year's negotiations, some of the union's initial demands were either omitted or scaled back. For instance, the demand for a performance bonus equivalent to 30% of last year's net profit was ultimately agreed upon at 400% and 12.7 million won. The extension of the retirement age was also confirmed to be contingent on legal amendments, rendering it effectively uncertain. This underscores the need for stronger joint responses among the affiliates.
Currently, the Hyundai and Kia unions are conducting internal evaluations regarding the final agenda for this year's negotiations, with results expected soon. A union representative commented on the possibility of regularizing this meeting format, saying, "We need to meet and discuss first. There has not been a regular meeting among the group affiliates yet."
This situation is likely to impact Hyundai Motor Group's rapidly advancing robotics business. The group plans to deploy the humanoid robot 'Atlas' at its factory in Georgia, USA, starting in 2028. In June, it also opened the 'Robot Metaplant Application Center (RMAC)' for robot training. Consequently, the Hyundai union has strongly opposed any robot deployment in production sites without labor-management agreements, stating, "Not a single robot can enter the production site without an agreement between labor and management."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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