The reason is simple, Nissan has a long history of anti-labor activity. The 1953 Nissan Steel Strike saw the destruction of its own independent union and that union replacement with a "company union" i.e. a union that supports the company over the workers. Such unions are illegal in the US, thus Nissan tends to be anti-union for the only union it likes is one run by management.
More on the type of Union Nissan likes:
http://www.multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/issues/1983/10/nissan.html
As a generally rule, American companies tend to avoid hiring African-Americans for they are most likely to join a union. Unlike Hispanic and White Americans, African American tend to believe in much higher percentage that the only way they can get ahead is if they organize, and that includes joining unions. Thus it has been common knowledge that companies perfer Hispanic (Illegal even better, for they you can threaten them with deportation if they even think about joining a union) and white American (And then women over men, women tend to join Unions at even lower levels then men).
Is the above statement racist, no it is just noting a well known observation that is almost impossible to prove or disprove EXCEPT if you look at who get hired by whom. The Supreme Court has said mere statistics that show a lower level of higher African Americans then other races are NOT evidence of Racism. You need to have an actual statement or other evidence showing a preference for non-African Americans, and most companies are smart enough NOT to put such a policy in writing, it is just understood (a manager who refuses to hire African American gets promoted, while a manager that does, does not and gets bad reviews as to his overall management skills, sooner or later people get the message, don't hire African Americans but also do NOT say that is what you are doing).
Given the above, I was shocked that the Mississippi plant was the third plant Nissan opened in the US.
The first Plant was in Smyrna Tn, which is 87% White.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smyrna,_Tennessee
The Second plant was in Decherd, Tennessee which is 82% white.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decherd,_Tennessee
The third plant was in Canton Mississippi, which is 80% African American.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton,_Mississippi
I was shocked for it is well known (but almost impossible to prove) that many business refuse to hire African Americans, because it is believe a higher percentage of African Americans will join unions then any other group of Americans. While this fact is technically NOT taught, it is in handbooks and pamphlets available in business schools and Nissan US management has gone to the same schools, seminars and read the same books that mention who tends to join unions, and who don't. Thus I was shocked that Nissan built their their plant in a African American Dominated area. The only conclusion is that given the tax breaks Mississippi was giving away to get any business and the low wages in Canton Mississippi, Nissan thought it could keep any union out and keep wages low (Connections to rail service was a major factor, most Car parts are shipped by rail).
Racism is rarely done for racist reasons, it most cases today it tends to have strong Anti-Union roots. Wages in Canton are HALF what they are in Smyrna, with three times the percentage of people in poverty. Thus it looks like Nissan saw Canton as a low wage area and the African Americans are resenting being paid less the white workers in Tennessee. Thus I can see why the UAW sees Canton as the weak link in Nissan's anti-union position and doing all it can to exploit that weakness.
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