Gibson's Guitar Factory in Nashville, Tennessee (Terri Brown/Wikimedia), on "Gibson Guitar Forces Its Factory Workers in Nashville to Work During COVID-19", In 2019, we raised over $70,000 from 1,634 readers, See a full chart comparing actions taken by the two Governors and the growth of COVID-19 in the two states here. On March 6th, when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Kentucky, Governor Beshear immediately declared a state of emergency. Most orders are eligible for FREE Shipping. to stop all non-essential Nashville business, Iconic guitar brand Gibson vows to 'stay true' to historic roots after bankruptcy, Gibson is donating guitars to musicians who lost instruments in Tennessee tornadoes, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. La Gibson Guitar Corporation ou GGC, plus communément Gibson, est un fabricant américain de guitares acoustiques, électriques, guitares basses électriques, de mandolines, de banjos et d'amplificateurs d'instruments. Go behind the scenes and see new Les Pauls, SGs, Explorers, and more at the famed guitar outfit’s newly consolidated Nashville facility. It’s not as though there’s a playbook. However, the day prior on March 10th, Lee advised children in the state to continue attending school. Gibson confirmed a temporary closure hours after an order Sunday from Metro Public Health Department to stop all non-essential Nashville business, beginning Monday, for the next 14 days. There were no known coronavirus, or COVID-19, cases among employees at the time of closure, said J.C. Curleigh, Gibson CEO and president. (See a full chart comparing actions taken by the two Governors and the growth of COVID-19 in the two states here). “They are thinking this is a problem for New York, California, dense population, but not Middle Tennessee.”, Donate to Help Us Cover How Workers are Fighting Back Against COVID-19. There is one turnstile in the plant and twice a day more than 300 workers try to exit the plant through the same turnstile. “The temperature in the plant is 80 degrees with 50-60% humidity. ", More: Iconic guitar brand Gibson vows to 'stay true' to historic roots after bankruptcy. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. JC Curleigh . "Essential" businesses that remain open in Nashville include post offices, law enforcement, transportation services, food and beverage operations, health care facilities, waste removal, water and energy companies as well as those in financial, legal and construction businesses. With the Governor of Tennesse failing to close non-essential businesses, workers in Tennessee like Mel fear that they will be forced to work through the COVID outbreak. Gibson also has a factory in Bozeman, Montana which makes acoustic guitars. I was living in Memphis when they opened the factory. There are a lot of people at this plant, who are older people, 50 and above, who have been there for many years and they are more at risk than others.”. One would imagine that JC Curleigh, the company’s new CEO, has made this final decision as part of an asset restructuring effort. we all touch the guitars,” says Mel. The Gibson USA factory in Nashville takes care of the solid-body builds (Les Paul, SG, Explorer, Firebird, etc). But all its electric guitars will now be built in Nashville. Call your doctor and stay home if you are sick. (UPDATE: After receiving hundreds of angry tweets, Gibson Guitar announced today that they would not be re-opening their factory on Monday). In 1985, Gibson Guitars famously closed its unionized factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan to set up shop non-union in Nashville. Mike Elk is a yinzer labor reporter who covered the drug war in Brasil and spent years covering union organizing in the South for The Guardian. Governor Bill Lee waited till March 12th to declare a state of emergency, a week later than Beshear. In addition to the Nashville factory, which makes solid electric guitars, Gibson also has a factory in Bozeman, Montana, where its acoustic guitars … Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. “I realize they got a lot of backorders, but they are putting a lot of people at risk. which is really not good if you are trying to keep a virus down,” says “Mel”, a Gibson Guitar worker, who declined to give their name out of fear of retaliation. The Nashville health order, called "Safer At Home Order," attempts to curb spreading of the coronavirus. Bozeman makes the acoustics. Gibson Guitar has long had a reputation of being a hard-nosed employer. Email: Melk@PaydayReport.com. Each offer a tour that’ll allow you to see their luthiers at work while giving you an interesting history lesson and some insight into their processes. Likewise, all the workers use the same timeclock to check-in, a dangerous vector point for COVID-19. Gibson office employees, about 100 total, began working remotely last Wednesday, Curleigh said. Your email address will not be published. There were no known coronavirus, or COVID-19, cases among … While out of 613 COVID tests administered in Tennessee. However, out at its factory, on old Massam Drive in Nashville, over 300 blue-collar factory workers are being forced to come into Gibson’s factory to build guitars. Enjoy the lowest prices and best selection of Gibson products in our Outlet! Tennessean reporter Jamie McGee contributed to this story. Over 300 employees build 425 guitars per day in this facility. 228 people have tested positive for COVID. Nashville-based Gibson guitars closed facilities Friday in an effort to combat the spreading of the novel coronavirus. Get more information at CDC.gov/coronavirus or contact the Tennessee Department of Health coronavirus information line at 877-857-2945 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT daily. The company was formerly known as Gibson Guitar Corporation and renamed Gibson Brands, Inc. on June 11, 2013. Agencies anticipate widespread transmission will occur in the U.S. in coming months and recommend social distancing among other measures to slow the spread. In 2018, the company emerged from bankruptcy and has struggled since then; leading many to wonder if the company is risking workers’ lives for financial reasons. ” says Mel has been heavily criticized for his slow response to the compared. In Tennessee making them at great risk of contracting COVID-19 Beshear immediately declared a state of emergency make any,. First case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Kentucky, Governor Beshear immediately declared a state of emergency COVID-19! 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