{"text":[[{"start":9.15,"text":"Hyundai Motor workers in South Korea have voted to strike over a plan by the country’s largest carmaker to introduce humanoid robots on the factory floor."}],[{"start":19.1,"text":"The Hyundai branch of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union said on Wednesday that 87 per cent of its almost 40,000 members backed industrial action, setting up a confrontation with the world’s third-largest carmaker by sales."}],[{"start":34.150000000000006,"text":"The union is demanding a greater say over how AI and automation are rolled out after Hyundai announced plans to deploy Atlas, a humanoid robot developed by subsidiary Boston Dynamics, in US factories."}],[{"start":46.400000000000006,"text":"“Without labour-management agreement, not a single robot using new technology will be allowed to enter the workplace,” the union vowed in January after the plans were unveiled."}],[{"start":56.300000000000004,"text":"“We are concerned about job security because of robots,” said a union member who asked not to be named. “News reports and videos showing robots becoming more dexterous make workers nervous about the future.”"}],[{"start":67.85000000000001,"text":"The union is also demanding a performance bonus equivalent to 30 per cent of Hyundai’s net profit — which would amount to about Won42mn ($27,150) for each of the company’s 73,000 workers — as well as an increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 and a monthly base pay raise."}],[{"start":88.5,"text":"Hyundai’s union has routinely voted to strike in recent years over various issues, including pay, bonuses and the retirement age. But aside from partial walkouts in 2025, differences were resolved before any major industrial action took place. The last full strike was in 2018."}],[{"start":108.3,"text":"The carmaker’s profitability has come under pressure from US tariffs, rising supply-chain costs and a slowdown in electric vehicle demand. Net profit fell 23.6 per cent to Won2.6tn ($1.68bn) in the first quarter."}],[{"start":126.35,"text":"Executive chair Euisun Chung has ambitious plans for Hyundai to rival Tesla in humanoid robots and self-driving cars."}],[{"start":134.29999999999998,"text":"In a message to employees in January, Chung said the company had a “strong chance” of getting ahead because of its large amount of production data and manufacturing capabilities."}],[{"start":143.95,"text":"At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year, Hyundai unveiled plans to produce 30,000 Atlas robots annually and deploy them in its EV plant in Georgia by 2028."}],[{"start":156.64999999999998,"text":"Although executives said the robots would take on highly repetitive and hazardous tasks shunned by people, the union warned in January that the machines would bring “employment shocks”."}],[{"start":166.89999999999998,"text":"The union’s profit-sharing demand comes after workers at chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are riding an AI boom, negotiated similar deals."}],[{"start":177.04999999999998,"text":"“After seeing the bonuses paid in the semiconductor industry, we expect better compensation this year,” said the union member."}],[{"start":185.39999999999998,"text":"“I think the union understands that many of its demands are unrealistic,” said Kim Pil-soo, professor of automotive engineering at Daelim University. “But workers are feeling a sense of relative deprivation after Samsung employees got larger bonuses.”"}],[{"start":200.79999999999998,"text":"South Korea’s labour relations commission will hold a mediation session on June 25 before deciding if the union can strike."}],[{"start":208.95,"text":"In a statement to the FT, the company said: “Hyundai Motor will do its utmost for sincere discussion with the labour union through good-faith engagement.”"}],[{"start":218.5,"text":"Union leader Lee Jong-cheol did not respond to a request for comment."}],[{"start":230.85,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1782299395_3602.mp3"}