Hyundai workers strike for shorter week, more wages, later retirement

Anabelle Colaco
06 Sep 2025, 11:20 GMT+10

South Korea’s powerful Hyundai Motor union is escalating pressure on management with a wave of partial strikes this week, demanding higher pay, shorter hours, and an extended retirement age
The union, representing about 40,000 workers, said in a notice to members that plants in Ulsan, Jeonju, and Asan will be affected
Employees stopped work for two hours on September 3, and will stop work for another two hours on September 4 and four hours on September 5

SEOUL, South Korea: South Korea's powerful Hyundai Motor union is escalating pressure on management with a wave of partial strikes this week, demanding higher pay, shorter hours, and an extended retirement age.

The union, representing about 40,000 workers, said in a notice to members that plants in Ulsan, Jeonju, and Asan will be affected. Employees stopped work for two hours on September 3, and will stop work for another two hours on September 4 and four hours on September 5.

The decision follows an August 25 vote in which a majority of members backed industrial action. Among the demands: a 30 percent bonus from Hyundai's record 2024 net income, raising the retirement age from 60 to 64, and shifting to a 4-1/2-day work week.

The labor group is no stranger to reshaping working patterns in South Korea. In 2003, Hyundai's union was one of the first to secure a five-day work week, breaking with the country's long-standing half-day Saturday tradition.

The latest move marks the first significant strike action since December 2024, when Hyundai workers staged a two-day partial walkout protesting former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. The union has not held a full strike over wage talks in seven years.

With Hyundai's global revenues surging, especially from strong U.S. sales, the union has argued that workers deserve a larger share of the gains. Management has not yet publicly responded, and a company spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.