UAW files union busting charges against Hyundai, Honda and Volkswagen

The United Auto Workers (UAW) has filed charges with U.S. labor authorities alleging that Hyundai, Honda, and Volkswagen illegally prevented their workers from forming a union.

Employees at Honda’s Indiana plant, Hyundai’s Alabama plant, and Volkswagen’s Tennessee plant have filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging unlawful union-busting behavior by management, according to the UAW in a statement on December 11.

“These companies are breaking the law in an attempt to get autoworkers to sit down and shut up instead of fighting for their fair share,” said UAW President Shawn Fain.

“From Honda to Hyundai to Volkswagen and beyond, we’ve got their back. The auto industry’s record profits should mean record contracts for these workers, too.”

The filing is a part of the UAW’s unionization campaign against non-unionized auto manufacturing operations in the United States.

The UAW previously led an unprecedented simultaneous strike at all three automotive giants, pushing all three companies – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis – to vote in favor of a wage deal that would raise wages by 25 percent over four years.

Building on the recent victories, the UAW announced on November 29 its launch of a campaign to unionize about 150,000 factory workers at 13 manufacturers, including Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai.

In the statement, the UAW accused pro-union workers at Honda’s Indiana plant of being targeted for surveillance by the management.

At Volkswagen’s Tennessee plant, workers have been threatened to keep them from talking about the union, and management has illegally tried to prevent them from distributing union literature or discussing union issues, even in non-work-related areas after hours, the UAW alleged.

UAW further alleges that at Hyundai’s Alabama plant, management illegally confiscated and destroyed union literature or prohibited it from being brought in during non-work hours and in non-work areas.

“Organizing a union free from management interference or threats is a federally protected right that is indispensable to a democratic, free society,” said the UAW.

Hyundai refuted the allegations stating “employees at Hyundai’s U.S. plants have been able to choose to join a union under their legal rights since the plant was established in 2005.”

Hyundai employs more than 3,000 workers at its Alabama plant.

BY HOONSIK WOO     [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]