Hyundai is suspending operations in its plant in India as COVID-19 spreads

Hyundai Motor Co. announced on Tuesday, May 25, that it will be halting operations in its plant in India. The South Korean carmaker cited the rapid spread of the COVID-19 infection as the reason for its decision.

As per Yonhap News Agency, Hyundai Motor is temporarily shutting down its factory in Tamil Nadu and it will remain closed for five days starting on May 25. This information was confirmed by the company’s spokesperson via phone interview.

Situation in India pushed Hyundai to close

It was revealed that the decision was made after two of the plant workers were infected with coronavirus and subsequently, several workers started a demonstration to let the company know about their fears of getting sick as well. Their sit-in apparently got Hyundai’s attention and decided to suspend work for a few days.

India is considered the worst-hit country in the world for COVID-19 and among its states, Tamil Nadu, where Hyundai’s plant is located is one of the most affected by the pandemic. The government already ordered factories to close, with few exemptions, until the end of this month.

In any case, in Hyundai’s other plants overseas, some have shut down as well but for a different reason. The company is also affected by the global chip shortage but it is expecting to return to normal as chipmakers ramp up their productions to address the production issues of many companies worldwide.

Hyundai workers’ unrest amid the pandemic

Workers of Renault, Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai have staged protests in India as the COVID-19 situation in the country is getting worse instead of getting better. This is why the employees are upset and uneasy at the workplace.

For that, Reuters reported that they are asking for companies to grant their safety demands so they can be protected from the highly infectious disease. A union stated that their requests were not met, so they are now planning to go on strike.

Then again, before things could get into this stage, Hyundai already issued a work suspension for its plant in Tamil Nadu and sent its staff for a 5-day leave. "The management agreed to close the plant after workers expressed concerns over safety after two employees succumbed to COVID," Hyundai Motor India workers union president, E Muthukumar, told Reuters.