The UAW is saddened and disgusted to read new reports of child labor at Hyundai and Kia suppliers in Alabama. This is further evidence of a deeply broken system at Hyundai and Kia. From years of experience in the auto industry, we know that automakers exert tremendous control over their suppliers and responsibility for this behavior points back to Hyundai and KIA who are using parts made with child labor. Clearly the initial instances that were brought to light in July and August of this year did not prompt the automakers to ensure that the parts they are receiving are free of child labor.

Not surprisingly, this is not the only allegation of abuse against Hyundai and Kia. They or their suppliers are facing lawsuits alleging racial and gender discrimination and exploiting professional workers from Mexico here on TN (nonimmigrant NAFTA professional) visas, and violating the terms of the visas by forcing them into low-paid production jobs. The picture emerging is of low-road labor practices in search of cheap labor at all costs. This hurts the workers being exploited but it also hurts workers throughout the industry whose standing and bargaining power is undercut by these illegal practices.

Despite all of this, the Biden Administration is considering special exemptions for the company and Disney announced that Hyundai is a sponsor of its 100th anniversary celebration. How is it that we have come to care so little about violating worker rights, and to care so little about putting children to work in dangerous manufacturing jobs? This must stop.

We urge the Department of Labor and the Biden Administration to redouble their efforts to fix the abusive, exploitive practices at Hyundai and Kia. We also call for strong labor standards to be attached to all taxpayer funds used for the benefit of companies. Specifically, no special exemptions to the Inflation Reduction Act should be extended to Hyundai and Kia for their electric vehicles. Their facilities should not be granted local, state or federal assistance under any programs and monies already granted should be clawed back.

The solution to this problem goes well beyond the important investigation the Department of Labor seems to be conducting.  The UAW has joined over 20 community and labor groups in Alabama have called on Hyundai to allow for third party monitoring of their factories and suppliers and to negotiate a community benefits agreement with the community that would ensure high-road job standards at Hyundai and their suppliers.

UAW Members of Local 5810 at the University of California voted to ratify their contracts by overwhelming margins. The final count was 89.4% of Postdocs and 79.5% of Academic Researchers voting yes in favor of ratification.

UAW Local 5810 is the union of more than 11,000 Postdoctoral Scholars and Academic Researchers (Project Scientists, Specialists, Professional Researchers, and Coordinators of Public Programs) at all 10 campuses of the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

Under their new agreements, UC Postdocs and Academic researchers have won salary increases that address the soaring cost of living and reflect the value of their contributions at UC. Both Postdocs and Academic Researchers won 8 weeks of paid family and parental leave at full pay, and secured industry-standard setting protections against bullying and abusive conduct. The tentative agreements also include new rights for international scholars and for Postdocs and Academic Researchers with disabilities.

“This represents a great victory for not only these members but other workers in higher education as we continue to lift the standards for academic workers,” says UAW President Ray Curry. “These members showed their power to UC during the strike and brought home an agreement that was very strongly supported by their membership.”

UAW Local 5810 members along with members of UAW Local 2865 (Academic Student Employees) and Student Researchers United-UAW have been on strike since November 14. UAW Local 2865 and SRU-UAW members have agreed to a mediation process with UC. While mediation proceeds, they will remain on strike.

“Two important units representing over 35,000 academic workers remain without an agreement, and we stand by their decision to seek mediation,” adds Region 8 Director Mitchell Smith. “These workers deserve an equitable agreement that reflects their contributions as well as the reality that they work in high-cost communities. We urge the University of California to work with all parties to reach a fair and equitable outcome.”