Alabama auto industry

A new report from an Alabama advocacy group highlights glaring issues within the state’s auto industry and offers solutions. The State of Working Alabama 2023 report from the nonprofit Alabama Arise comes as conditions and wages for autoworkers continue to decline.

Shinhwa Auto USA Corporation’s $114 million dollar expansion will create 50 jobs over the next three years and add a 170,000-square foot production building on the company's site in Auburn Technology Park West, officials said. The average salary of workers at the plant will be about $48,000, the Alabama Department of Commerce said.

Donghee America's latest investment will expand its operations in the city and offer additional jobs to residents.

The University of Alabama is in the spotlight for its plans on developing electric vehicles. A proposal led by UA to strengthen the South's role in production and support of EV’s was recently awarded a $1M grant.

Korean automaker Hyundai says it’s unaware of any evidence of child labor being used at its Alabama parts subsidiary. Smart Alabama is a unit of the Korean automaker. Reuters reported on Friday that the company employed immigrant workers as young as twelve years old.

Alabama’s commerce secretary says the current rhetoric about tariffs and trade barriers from the White House are hurting investments in Alabama.Commerce…