Automaker Hyundai is facing an unprecedented labor dispute in South Korea. Its Boston Dynamics subsidiary plans to deploy Atlas humanoid robots in its factories starting in 2028, with a production target of 30,000 units per year and deployment of approximately 25,000 robots across Hyundai and Kia sites. The company’s main union has launched a series of four-hour partial strikes from July 29 to 31, following the failure of fifteen wage negotiation sessions since July 8. Official demands include the reinstatement of fired workers, a later retirement age, and a 50% increase in bonuses, but the real issue centers on protections against automation. The union has set a firm condition: no robot using new technology shall enter the workplace without a prior agreement. U.S. automaker union UAW is also monitoring the situation and seeking to establish itself at the Georgia plant where Atlas will be deployed in 2028.
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