Employees of the Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) have unleashed a barrage of gripes with their boss on micro-blogging site Twitter. The complaints describe a stressful work environment, preferential treatment for Korean employees and redundancies of Australian staff at the hands of CEO Edward Lee.

“All long term staff be careful, Edward wants to get rid of you … there is no loyalty at HMCA from the CEO,” tweeted @hyundai_oz3.

Another tweeter exclaimed: “How do you expect them to be productive, motivated and perform well under the current conditions? Do you even care Mr Lee????”

The foremost claims are of unfair redundancies.

“Sales and marketing — director has been sacked, he asked for the bonus promised for 60,000 sales and gets sacked,” @hyundai_oz3 updated on January 13, 2009.

“So why is redundancy policy so important to the HMCA CEO … because if you do not comply with his wishes, this is the way you will be fired!” wrote @Hyundai_Sucks.

“Make no mistake ! failure to obey ! means that your career is history…”

“Change of policy — redundancies will be capped at 12 weeks no matter how long your service. Who is next to go?” worried hyundai_oz3.

One of the Twitterers complained that Lee favours the use of Korean staff and interns with @Hyundai_oz2UNOF claiming “Interns are taking our jobs, reporting directly to Edward”, “Edward Lee hates Aussies …”, and “Let’s all just walk out and see how he does it with interns and Koreans”.

The disgruntled staff members also complained of harsh working conditions imposed by Lee.

“I can tell you there are a lot of stressed employees who take their frustrations home with them. There are sleepless nights, health problems,” tweeted @Hyundai_OHDEAR.

“Edward how do you think the husbands, wives, children and families of your staff are feeling.”  “Been doing 11 hour days, it is expected when working for this autocratic operator,” grumbled @Hyundai_oz2UNOF.

@Hyundai_Sucks predicted a disastrous outcome for the company’s local arm: “I see despondency and a failing company.. without committed staff the cracks are beginning to show…..the imploding of HMCA is imminent.”

Crikey understands that workers from Hyundai have anonymously contacted the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) to inquire about workplace concerns.  AMWU spokesperson Daniel Kyriacou said that “the union is keen to assist the workers and would like them to call again with further information”.

The tweets are reminiscent of other instances where employees have criticised their bosses through social networking sites. One was the Fake Stephen Conroy controversy, where a Telstra employee assumed the Minister’s identity to lampoon his proposed National Broadband Network on Twitter.  Another similar case is the ‘Facebook Six’, who the NSW Department of Corrective Services sacked after they vented their anger at plans to privatise two state prisons.

Lee was appointed CEO of the local arm of Hyundai in May 2009.  One of the tweets questioned why he left “Kia Canada under such a cloud,” before his Australian appointment.  “We all know why Canada did not want Edward Lee, lets get rid of him from here in Australia as well,” another tweeter bristled.

Hyundai’s media spokesperson was unwilling to comment on any of the claims posted on Twitter.