Exclusive: Hyundai subsidiary has used child labor at Alabama factory

[Robert59]

Alabama, July 22 (Reuters) - A subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co has used child labor at a plant that supplies parts for the Korean carmaker's assembly line in nearby Montgomery, Alabama, according to area police, the family of three underage workers, and eight former and current employees of the factory.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ex...-used-child-labor-alabama-factory-2022-07-22/

 

[heron]

Alabama, July 22 (Reuters) - A subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co has used child labor at a plant that supplies parts for the Korean carmaker's assembly line in nearby Montgomery, Alabama, according to area police, the family of three underage workers, and eight former and current employees of the factory.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ex...-used-child-labor-alabama-factory-2022-07-22/

Would love to find out what was/is going on with that family. Back before child labor laws, children often provided a significant piece of the family income.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

I believe in the corporate world, there are business practices that you just don't do. It's not that they are wrong, but if news got out, it would be devasting to the company. Corporate America wants to protect its brand. In the US, child labor is definitely one of them. So, I doubt whether Hyundai would knowingly use child labor in the US. What some wholly owned subsidiary, way down the corporate ladder does? This sounds like a human trafficking scheme, more than hiring kids.

 

[heron]

I believe in the corporate world, there are business practices that you just don't do. It's not that they are wrong, but if news got out, it would be devasting to the company. Corporate America wants to protect its brand. In the US, child labor is definitely one of them. So, I doubt whether Hyundai would knowingly use child labor in the US. What some wholly owned subsidiary, way down the corporate ladder does? This sounds like a human trafficking scheme, more than hiring kids.

Fuzzybuddy, you may be right. I heard a report today that the kids were part of a migrant family. The report was part of an opinion piece and did not mention whether they were documented.

 

[Bellbird]

I don't like to see children being exploited in any way,however I was watching a documentary on this very thing and the children were being interviewed. A lot of them were very quiet but there were those who said something very poignant. " Please don't take away our jobs we will all go hungry" . The interviewer was taken aback probably something he had never thought of.

 

[heron]

I don't like to see children being exploited in any way,however I was watching a documentary on this very thing and the children were being interviewed. A lot of them were very quiet but there were those who said something very poignant. " Please don't take away our jobs we will all go hungry" . The interviewer was taken aback probably something he had never thought of.

Back when working class children were routinely put out out to work, it was pretty much for the same reason: family survival.

 

[Jeni]

The bottom line is many People ...saw this / knew this and did nothing to report .................only after the fact it comes to light several former employees said yeah saw dozens of them ... etc

Now people talking about family need for money ........... i looked ........cannot see that as an acceptable loophole for labor laws.
If girl was looking for other work certainly she should have seen that most places do not hire that young.


IF OSHA or other government departments ACTUALLY followed through on this it would stop .......
blaming subcontractors who supplied labor is lame But IF that was the case publicly NAME those labor suppliers and the government could raid their employment files................. fines can be accessed for EACH illegal act. sounds like easy fines for state or feds or BOTH could collect.

If undocumented or fake documents etc........employing these folks illegally ARE all are felonies............ and business SHOULD be fined for hiring people not able to work in this country LEGALLY.
even if legal migrant they would NEED a work visa until the are naturalized ........WORK visas are not issued to children.......

How were they paying these folks... follow the payroll ...... perhaps in cash or under the table = tax evasion....

yet another crime but we never hear the followup ...
most likely they play clean for awhile until they think the interest disappears ........then back to the same ole plan

 

[JustDave]

it follows federal, state and local laws and "denies any allegation that it knowingly employed anyone who is ineligible for employment." The company said it relies on temporary work agencies to fill jobs and expects "these agencies to follow the law in recruiting, hiring, and placing workers on its premises."

Children as young as 12 years old? I can't believe someone in charge didn't notice.

 

[JaniceM]

Would love to find out what was/is going on with that family. Back before child labor laws, children often provided a significant piece of the family income.

In some places, teens are still expected to do so...
Awhile back, there was talk of increasing the minimum wage- but only for adults.
Found this:
 Many teen workers provide essential income to struggling low- and middle-income households. Cutting them out of a minimum wage increase would hurt their households more.