Labor Groups Pressure Hyundai And Team Biden For Worker Training Amid EV Transition

A conglomerate of labor unions and civic groups is launching a campaign to press global automaker Hyundai HYMTF and Joe Biden-led administration to ensure job protection and adequate worker training as part of the transition to electric vehicles, The New York Times reported. 

The union coalition based in Georgia and Alabama aims to influence Hyundai’s operational strategy and the Biden administration’s commitment to create “good union jobs.”

The campaign is focused on Hyundai’s electric vehicle plants and clean energy suppliers, marking a significant shift towards electric vehicles. The coalition is hopeful that their efforts will also impact other automakers like B.M.W. in South Carolina and Mercedes-Benz in Alabama, who have chosen American manufacturing bases in union-hostile territories.

See Also: Peter Schiff Points Out Inconsistencies In Powell’s Jackson Hole Speech, Slams Fed Chair For Refusal To C

With the automobile industry transitioning to electric vehicles, the unions are putting forward demands to secure job protection, avoid plant closures, and establish training programs to assist workers in adapting to new roles at comparable wages. The campaign also carries political ramifications for President Biden as it sets specific demands on one of the largest automakers in a crucial swing state for the 2024 presidential election, Georgia.

The demands of the union coalition are outlined in a letter addressed to the CEO of Hyundai's American subsidiary, José Muñoz. The letter insists on community benefits agreements, local hiring, improved safety standards, and environmental protection around the plants.

Hyundai’s spokesperson, Michael Stewart, responded by stating that the company's top priority is the safety and well-being of its employees.

Read Next: US Stocks Surge, Defying Fed Concerns; Dollar Notches Sixth Green Week: What’s Driving Markets Friday? –

Photo by buffaloboy on Shutterstock