We are calling on Hyundai Motor CEO José Muñoz to negotiate a binding community benefits agreement (CBA) that ensures safe, family-wage jobs while addressing local community needs at Hyundai and Kia, and in their supply chains.

Hyundai will ultimately employ more than 30,000 workers in the United States, directly or through joint venture partners with its plants in Alabama and Georgia. Hyundai also has a vast supply chain that includes more than 60 plants and many more workers in both states. These facilities will transform our communities, and we are faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ensure that this transformation is for the best.

But we are deeply concerned about Hyundai’s recent track record with child labor in its supply chain in our country; allegations of immigrant rights abuses and racial discrimination against suppliers; use of prison labor by suppliers; and retention of an irresponsible contractor in the building of the metaplant.

Hyundai is accepting billions of dollars in state and federal tax incentives to expand U.S. operations without providing any commitment to address workers’ rights violations or its business model of creating low-road jobs in already impoverished areas.

We want to work together with Hyundai to build lasting prosperity for local communities. That starts by entering into meaningful negotiations with local community, clergy and labor organizations for binding CBAs in Alabama and Georgia.