A Strike Too Many; Hyundai, South Korea's largest automaker, set out to copy nimble Japanese rivals. It's ended up looking more like the laggards in Detroit.

Byline: B.J. Lee

Cheonju, South Korea, is thousands of miles away from Detroit. But the two cities have something in common: powerful labor unions. For nearly a year, the Korean automotive giant Hyundai has pushed to add a night shift at its plant in Cheonju to meet growing demands. But the union has repeatedly rejected the proposal. Annoyed by a 10-month backlog in orders, Hyundai management recently sent out a letter to union members warning them that if they didn't compromise, their work might go overseas. The union refused to budge. "Union members decided night shifts are ...

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