Hyundai, Kia End Overnight Shifts in Korea

Beginning today, workers at Hyundai and Kia plants in Korea are working on a new schedule that reduces their hours and ends the burdensome overnight operation that has been in place for nearly 50 years.

Previously, both Hyundai and Kia operated two 10-hour shifts, with the second lasting through the night. The new schedule calls for an 8-hour day shift and a 9-hour afternoon shift.

Although there is a reduction in the number of hours employees will work, there is no cut in pay.

“The new system is expected to enhance the quality of life of our workers and that will have a positive effect on quality,” a Hyundai spokesman tells WardsAuto.

The new schedules affect some 50,000 workers at the two auto makers. Before putting them into effect, a 2-week shake down of the new shift program was conducted at one of Hyundai’s plants in Ulsan. More than 90% of the employees involved in the test reported the new hours gave them more leisure time and a much better quality of life.

Hyundai and Kia workers’ unions have fought to eliminate the night shift for the past 10 years. It has been a thorny issue in all bargaining sessions.

In return for the new shift schedule, the unions agreed to maintain the same production volumes by increasing productivity in all operations.

Hourly output is being increased from 402 vehicles to 432 at Hyundai’s Ulsan and Asan plants. Production rates at Kia’s plants in Sohari, Hwaseong and Gwangju are being hiked from 308 vehicles per hour to 338.

Hyundai’s shifts run from 6:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Kia’s work shifts start 10 minutes later than the Hyundai times.