Fear of humanoid robots spurs human workers to strike at Hyundai auto factory
Thousands of unionized Hyundai auto workers began walking off the job early after negotiations with the South Korean automaker broke down over plans to deploy humanoid robots—the most significant pushback from organized labor so far over the latest wave of robotic automation. The partial strike at Hyundai’s automotive production complex in the city of Ulsan in South Korea represents “the car industry’s first factory stoppage addressing humanoid robots,” according to The Wall Street Journal. Work
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Unionized workers at a major automaker's South Korean factory have begun striking after negotiations failed over plans to deploy humanoid robots in manufacturing. The robots in question stand over 6 feet tall, can lift more than 100 pounds, and the company aims to deploy more than 25,000 of them across its plants, with deployment in US factories planned to begin in 2028. Workers are concerned about job security because the robots may eventually cost less to operate than human workers, and the union is demanding protections including fixed salaries instead of hourly pay and higher retirement ages. This represents the car industry's first factory stoppage specifically addressing humanoid robots, though the broader use of automation in automotive manufacturing has been ongoing for decades.
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