Georgia autoworkers experienced the closure of two large plants between 2006 and 2008 (Ford and GM respectively). In the shadow of the shuttering of these two UAW strongholds, Kia announced the opening of a new plant in the state. The plant is now churning out Kia Sorentos, and not a single former UAW member is working the line.
It is estimated that the Kia plant will provide 3000 nonunion jobs, and another 2600 or so are forecast for suppliers. The key to Kia setting up shop in Georgia was not the pool of talent (they used none of the out-of-work former UAW members from the Ford and GM plants), but Georgia’s status as a right-to-work state. Retired Ford employee J.C. Phillips commented, “They probably wouldn’t have built here if it wasn’t for right to work.”
