A parts subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. in Alabama, USA, has worked many minors at a metal stamping site that involves dangerous work. The retention rate of employees is low, and child labor has become a norm in order to deal with chronic labor shortages. It became clear in such. It is said that there is a case where a 12-year-old worked.
The parts subsidiary is SMART Alabama. It supplies parts to Hyundai's high-margin assembly flagship plant in the state. Hyundai announced on the 22nd that it "does not tolerate any illegal employment practices throughout the company," and claimed to be in compliance with local, state, and federal legislation.
Reuters learned of the story when a 14-year-old Guatemalan immigrant girl was filed with local police on February 3 this year by a family member living in Alabama. Police released the missing information and subsequently protected her girl in Georgia. According to sources familiar with the matter, a total of three girls, a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old brother, were working at the factory for a while, in addition to the girl found. I didn't even go to school.
The three fathers confirmed the story to Reuters. Local police in the family told Reuters that they had called the state prosecutor's office. A spokesman for the State Labor Department also said yesterday that he would cooperate with the Federal Ministry of Labor and other authorities in the investigation.
A large number of minors have worked at the factory in the last few years, according to employees, former employees, and recruitment brokers with whom Reuters spoke to. A former adult employee who changed jobs to another company in the same industry last year said that a total of about 50 minors were on the shift at various times. Some former employees said that more than a dozen minors were working around them during their shift. According to two former employees, SMART fired many underage employees after the missing case was reported locally.
Some minor employees were unable to attend school due to long shifts. According to records investigated by Reuters, the factory has repeatedly violated safety laws and regulations, including health care and amputation of employees. From 2013 to the most recent year, authorities have imposed relevant fines totaling at least $ 48,515.
Alabama law and federal law restrict minors under the age of 18 from engaging in metal plus processing. Alabama law requires children under the age of 17 to attend school.
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