Hyundai Motor’s South Korean union said on 2026-08-25 that it reached a tentative agreement with management after its first full strike in a decade and a series of partial stoppages since July, according to MarketScreener / Reuters. The union had been demanding higher bonuses, a higher retirement age, and job protections against artificial intelligence and automation.
According to the agreement seen by Reuters, the parties agreed to discuss employment when new businesses are rolled out. The tentative agreement also includes a 4.1% base salary increase, a performance bonus equal to 400% of base pay, additional cash and bonus payouts, and a commitment to hire 500 new technical workers from 2027 through 2028.
Hyundai said in a statement that advanced technologies such as physical AI and robotics are an essential part of the future of mobility.
What the sources say
The supplied reporting supports a narrow takeaway: this is a tentative wage deal that keeps employment discussion on the table when new businesses are introduced. It does not say the parties already agreed to specific AI job-protection terms beyond that discussion language.
The Reuters account says the union sought job protections against AI and automation, while the agreement seen by Reuters says the parties will discuss employment as new businesses roll out. Those are related, but they are not the same thing.
Timing and scope
The sources preserve several separate dates and ranges. The union said on 2026-08-25 that it had reached a tentative agreement after strike disruption. The reported hiring pledge runs from 2027 through 2028. The supplied sources do not say when, or whether, the tentative agreement has been finalized.
The hiring pledge is limited to 500 new technical workers. The supplied sources do not identify the plants, departments, or job titles involved, and they do not provide a broader workforce projection.
Why it matters
What makes the deal notable is not a confirmed AI employment rule, but the fact that employment effects are being discussed in the context of new business rollout at an auto maker that says physical AI and robotics are central to its future mobility plans. That places AI and automation inside a labor negotiation, even if the supplied sources stop short of describing a finished AI protection package.
Sources
- Hyundai Motor's union reaches preliminary wage deal, averting more strikes — MarketScreener / Reuters
- [보도자료] 금속노조 1차 파업, 현대차·한국지엠 등 7만 9천명 참가…초기업·원청교섭 등 요구 — Korean Metal Workers' Union