On the second day of the general strike of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ public transportation union, Hyundai Motor’s parts suppliers from the Ulsan headquarters of the Korea Cargo Workers‘ Union participated in the rejection of the operation, causing production disruptions.
According to the police and Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant has been disrupted by production lines at its second, third, and fourth plants, as parts were not delivered on time later in the day, from a few minutes to an hour.
Earlier in the day, the Korea Cargo Workers’ Union issued guidelines to its union members to completely suspend the supply and operation of auto parts from the afternoon. As a result, union members participating in the strike did not transport parts, which seems to have caused a setback.
Members of the Ulsan headquarters gathered at the entrance of Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant in Buk-gu, Ulsan from 2 p.m. to urge the truckers belonging to Hyundai Motor’s cargo union, which is supplied to Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant. The number of participants is around 50 to 100 per door.
About 70 percent of cargo workers at 19 carriers contracted with Hyundai Glovis, a supplier of Hyundai Motor, are considered members of the freight union. Union members of the Korea Cargo Workers’ Union demanded the return of the delivery vehicles from 3 p.m., the shift time for Hyundai Motor employees, and some parts vehicles are returning.
While unionized vehicles are circulating in front of the entrance gate, only non-unionized vehicles are entering the company. As a result, as the supply and demand of auto parts are not carried out in time, operations at Ulsan plant 2 to 5, excluding the first plant under maintenance, are being suspended and operated repeatedly. The automobile production system is designed to supply and demand parts according to the production schedule to reduce product inventory, so production disruptions are inevitable even if only some parts are not delivered.
An official from Hyundai Motor said, “Non-union delivery drivers are operating, so the factory is not shutting down,” adding, “As the production line is operating as soon as parts are supplied and supplied, the line is repeatedly running.”
Police have deployed police officers and riot police around Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant to immediately respond to illegal activities such as obstruction of delivery vehicles.