To: David Zuchowski, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai: Protect the Workers in your Supply Chain

We urge Hyundai to acknowledge there are ongoing safety issues in the Selma plant that makes their foam seat cushions, and insist that Lear work to fix the problems, not silence the workers who raised these concerns.

Why is this important?

Workers at the Lear Corporation plant in Selma, AL, make foam seat cushions for Hyundai. These workers—most of whom make $12.25 an hour or less—use dangerous chemicals, called isocyanates, which are known to cause asthma and related respiratory problems. There is evidence that one of the chemicals used in the plant, an isocyanate called TDI, may also cause cancer.

Despite numerous efforts by workers to address these health and safety issues with plant management, workers and even the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) say there is still cause for concern.

Hyundai has the power and the responsibility to require Lear to make the necessary investments to ensure good, safe, fair working conditions in Selma. Hyundai’s own corporate social responsibility policies acknowledge that its obligations extend to the companies in its supply chain.