The news agency Reuters took a closer look at several large car factories in Alabama. The result is disappointing. Examples of child labor have been found at at least four factories, the journalists claim. The factories in question produce parts for the South Korean car brands Hyundai and Kia. The journalists have gone through documents from courts, companies and the police, as well as interviewed more than 100 people. The 14-year-old girl from Guatemala is one of the stories. In May this year, she must have worked at one of the factories and assembled car parts. The family needed money, but after a few weeks she will have lost her job, says the girl’s father. The reason was that rumors began to spread that the authorities had learned that minors were working at the factory. Hyundai and Kia have giant car factories in the US. Several of the subcontractors in the state of Alabama are accused of child labor. Photo: CHENEY ORR / Reuters Lot as if she were older The father says that the 14-year-old started working because she wanted to send money to her family in her home country. He says that he had a fake ID card made which stated that the daughter was 18 years old and came from California. The father says he also contacted a staffing agency. In May, they will both have got jobs at the factory. Today, the father says he regrets letting his daughter work. The girl’s story is not unique. Seven former employees at another auto parts factory in Alabama have said they worked with several minors. In October, the authorities also discovered that two brothers aged 13 and 15 from Guatemala were working at another of the car parts factories in the state. An older cousin, who worked with the brothers at the factory, says that their ages were never questioned. Several of the companies in question have stated that they are not aware of child labor in their factories and that this is also not permitted. Not the first time The investigation by Reuters comes five months after police in Alabama said they had uncovered child labor at a factory that supplied Hyundai. According to the police, children as young as twelve had worked for a subcontractor to the car manufacturer. Since then, ten factories supplying Hyundai and Kia in Alabama have been investigated for child labor. It is not clear what the result is, writes Reuters. According to US law, no one under the age of 18 can work in factories where there is dangerous equipment. For children under 16, the rules are even stricter. Lack of control There are several reasons why children are employed at various car factories. Increased delivery requirements and a shortage of labour, means that employers are watching between their fingers who they hire, claim former and current employees to Reuters. It is also pointed out that factory jobs with low wages often attract migrants and minors. This is not surprising, says Terri Gerstein. He works with working life at the law faculty of Harvard University. – Factories in remote, rural areas. A region with low union density. Lack of control authority. The use of staffing agencies, Gerstein believes, is a factor that helps to explain the development. Staffing agencies are criticized in the report for not taking child labor seriously. Here is a Hyundai parked outside a recruitment agency in Alabama. Photo: CHENEY ORR / Reuters Car manufacturers go through routines Hyundai and Kia are South Korea’s two largest car manufacturers. Both are owned by parent company Hyundai Motor Group. In recent years, their cars have become more and more popular in the United States. Today, the company is the third largest car manufacturer in the United States. To Reuters, the companies state that they are now reviewing the employment practices of their suppliers. Both companies state that they have rules that prohibit child labour, also with their subcontractors. Finished cars from Kia are waiting to be transported away from the factory and out to the market. The South Korean car brands Kia and Hyundai have become among the most popular in the United States in recent years. Photo: CHENEY ORR / Reuters
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Reuters investigation reveals child labor at several of the factories that supply Hyundai-Kia in the USA – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
