> Sounds like they need an OSHA raid. Maybe the NLRB too
They did. On multiple occasions under both Biden and Trump. But Hyundai would always shield their liability by creating a shell contracting/consulting firm to hire labor. If one got popped, another one would be spun up.
Heck, it took the DoJ almost 3 years to begin the prosecution against Hyundai and it's partners for using child labor in their Mississippi factory becuase of political interference.
The issue is Hyundai is one of the largest shipbuilders in the world, and "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" has been a key Biden and Trump policy.
The Japanese shipbuilders chose to invest in Philippines and India over the US because they knew they'd face similar scrutiny over labor practices. Korean companies on the other hand decided to roll the dice.
> If Hyundai can do that, any American company could do it too.
Yet none of them who are working on peer projects to Hyundai-LG's did.
There are dozens of battery gigafactory projects in the US thanks to rhe IRA, but Hyundai-LG's are the only ones with a persistent pattern of labor abuse [0].
> needs to be addressed by putting the labor in chains
I am not disagreeing with you on that point. I am saying supporting that and then jumping to defend Hyundai-LG for breaking the law as well is hypocrisy
> maybe a team sent to Hyundai corporate to crack some heads (figuratively)
They are in South Korea, not the US. Furthermore, Hyundai consistently uses contracting/consulting firms to shield against liability, which was a major reason it took 3 years just to reach a point where the DoJ could begin prosecuting Hyundai for child labor in their MS factories
Again, it's not clear to me why "a persistent pattern of labor abuse" needs to be addressed by putting the labor in chains. That's like prosecuting rape victims for adultery or fornication. Labor abuse is a different problem requiring maybe a team sent to Hyundai corporate to crack some heads (figuratively). Put some of those guys in handcuffs.
> I am saying supporting that and then jumping to defend Hyundai-LG for breaking the law as well is hypocrisy
I think people are mostly supporting and defending the workers. So far Hyundai-LG hasn't lost anything except face. The workers are the ones who have taken the hit.
If Hyundai can do that, any American company could do it too. That's a deeper problem with the law, and one that can't be solved by putting random workers into detention centers. They're the ones getting injured, right?
They did. On multiple occasions under both Biden and Trump. But Hyundai would always shield their liability by creating a shell contracting/consulting firm to hire labor. If one got popped, another one would be spun up.
Heck, it took the DoJ almost 3 years to begin the prosecution against Hyundai and it's partners for using child labor in their Mississippi factory becuase of political interference.
The issue is Hyundai is one of the largest shipbuilders in the world, and "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" has been a key Biden and Trump policy.
The Japanese shipbuilders chose to invest in Philippines and India over the US because they knew they'd face similar scrutiny over labor practices. Korean companies on the other hand decided to roll the dice.
> If Hyundai can do that, any American company could do it too.
Yet none of them who are working on peer projects to Hyundai-LG's did.
There are dozens of battery gigafactory projects in the US thanks to rhe IRA, but Hyundai-LG's are the only ones with a persistent pattern of labor abuse [0].
> needs to be addressed by putting the labor in chains
I am not disagreeing with you on that point. I am saying supporting that and then jumping to defend Hyundai-LG for breaking the law as well is hypocrisy
> maybe a team sent to Hyundai corporate to crack some heads (figuratively)
They are in South Korea, not the US. Furthermore, Hyundai consistently uses contracting/consulting firms to shield against liability, which was a major reason it took 3 years just to reach a point where the DoJ could begin prosecuting Hyundai for child labor in their MS factories
[0] - https://labornotes.org/2025/09/georgia-battery-plant-raid-sp...