Hyundai hasn’t had the best luck with its suppliers this year. Earlier in 2024, the automaker was sued by the government over reports that a supplier had used child labor, and now, one of the company’s suppliers is pulling back on its prison labor programs in Alabama after reports that some workers felt like they had no choice but to participate.
The automaker said it had let go of dozens of inmates working through a program run by the Alabama Department of Corrections. The state’s prison labor program has been equated to forced labor by some, and the move to let workers go comes after a New York Times report that showed some inmates felt they had no choice but to work for Ju-Young, a Hyundai supplier participating in the work program.
Prison workers in Alabama pay 40 percent to the prison system, taxes, and other deductions for laundry and transportation, leaving them with pennies on the dollar to show for their work. Despite that, and the fact that some jobs are dangerous, inmates said they were so relieved to be outside the prison walls that they felt compelled to keep working.
Labor leaders don’t view the decision as a positive development, saying that the inmates needed those jobs. Most say they would like to reform the prison labor program rather than eliminate it completely.
[Images: Hyundai]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Source: The Truth About Cars
