What can you tell me about foreign guitar factories?

[slodge]

Specifically, I was wondering about the working conditions in Fender's or Gibson's overseas plants. (Or in the case of Fender, Mexican as well.) But more generally, any of the less expensive foreign makes.

 

What are the conditions like? How are the wages? I try to avoid purchasing products that were made in sweatshop conditions, and I'm wondering to what extent that means I need to avoid these instruments.

 

Anybody know anything about this?

[Electric Blues]

Here's some pics of the Mexican "sweatshop"

http://reviews.photoweborama.com/allthingsguitar1/fendertour/index.html

[dimmypage]

What about the conditions In USA Plants? They make a whopin $12 p/hr---Hardly a liveable wage:confused:

[inkblot]

Any Korean plant would be very acceptable working conditions I think, South Korea is a very modern country now.

 

China would be more questionable however, I don't really know.

[DavidMgT]

 

Here's some pics of the Mexican "sweatshop" http://reviews.photoweborama.com/allthingsguitar1/fendertour/index.html

 

 

This is an example of foreign manufacturing that is actually owned by the company. Some companies contract out manufacturing to 3rd party subcontractors. These subcontractors are independent firms whose labor practices tend to be much different from those who are contracting to them.

[Electric Blues]

 

This is an example of foreign manufacturing that is actually owned by the company. Some companies contract out manufacturing to 3rd party subcontractors. These subcontractors are independent firms whose labor practices tend to be much different from those who are contracting to them.

 

I'm planning a business trip to Ensenada soon. I think I'll sent an Email before hand to see if I can take an afternoon off and visit the factory.

[Doctor49]

 

South Korea is a very modern country now. China would be more questionable however, I don't really know.

 

 

Sweatshops exist in every country - fact.

 

China has recently introduced legislation to embody workers rights and is vigorously pursuing it.

 

Interestingly, CNN immediately carried a piece in which some of China's international customers were complaining that they would have to move their business elsewhere to "more favourable" conditions eg Vietnam, Cambodia, where labour laws remain lax.

 

That should tell you something about the changing face of China's labour market.

 

If it gets too expensive, maybe Gibson and Fender will move as well.

[DavidMgT]

 

I'm planning a business trip to Ensenada soon. I think I'll sent an Email before hand to see if I can take an afternoon off and visit the factory.

 

 

Cool!

[JSD]

 

China has recently introduced legislation to embody workers rights and is vigorously pursuing it.

 

 

This is true, you will see prices rise on Chinese made guitars and other goods in the near future.

[slodge]

 

What about the conditions In USA Plants? They make a whopin $12 p/hr---Hardly a liveable wage:confused:

 

 

Isn't that below the Fed. Minimum wage?

 

Seriously.

 

I'd be pissed to think that I was paying 1000+ and getting a guitar put together with illegal labor.

[slodge]

 

This is an example of foreign manufacturing that is actually owned by the company. Some companies contract out manufacturing to 3rd party subcontractors. These subcontractors are independent firms whose labor practices tend to be much different from those who are contracting to them.

 

 

I knew Fender's Mex. plants occupied a sort of middle ground between domestic and imported. This sums it up nicely.

 

The "subcontractor" deal is nice for companies that want the lowest labor cost without having to take any responsibility for what that means on a human level.

 

That being said, I read the article, and I'm a little suspicious of the assertion that employees love their work so much that they voluntarily skip lunch.

[DavidMgT]

 

I knew Fender's Mex. plants occupied a sort of middle ground between domestic and imported. This sums it up nicely. The "subcontractor" deal is nice for companies that want the lowest labor cost without having to take any responsibility for what that means on a human level. That being said, I read the article, and I'm a little suspicious of the assertion that employees love their work so much that they voluntarily skip lunch.

 

 

If the plant is owned by Fender, and it appears as though it is, then chances are the employees are being treated fairly well. Many of the horror stories about sweatshops we hear about occur when Companies such as Nike contract out to independent manufacturers in developing nations.

[evh1984]

 

Here's some pics of the Mexican "sweatshop" http://reviews.photoweborama.com/allthingsguitar1/fendertour/index.html

 

 

Horrible, horrible conditions...

[RaVenCAD]

 

Specifically, I was wondering about the working conditions in Fender's or Gibson's overseas plants. (Or in the case of Fender, Mexican as well.) But more generally, any of the less expensive foreign makes. What are the conditions like? How are the wages? I try to avoid purchasing products that were made in sweatshop conditions, and I'm wondering to what extent that means I need to avoid these instruments. Anybody know anything about this?

 

 

I worry about the same things, which is why I've pretty much eliminated anything not covered by NAFTA or countries we've nuked (there is tone in them there rads, baby!).. Canada, Mexico, America, Japan.. Everything else, I'll pass, unless I simply can't get the product from a country I want to tolerate (Line 6, you listening?).. That's my opinion.. Some people might disagree, but I really don't care.

[foppy]

 

I worry about the same things, which is why I've pretty much eliminated anything not covered by NAFTA or countries we've nuked (there is tone in them there rads, baby!).. Canada, Mexico, America, Japan.. Everything else, I'll pass, unless I simply can't get the product from a country I want to tolerate (Line 6, you listening?).. That's my opinion.. Some people might disagree, but I really don't care.

 

 

I thought Japan was the only country we had nuked.

[RaVenCAD]

 

I thought Japan was the only country we had nuked.

 

 

Do you see another one on that list we've nuked? As far as I'm aware, NAFTA covers the other 3..

[ThunderSqueak]

 

Isn't that below the Fed. Minimum wage? Seriously. I'd be pissed to think that I was paying 1000+ and getting a guitar put together with illegal labor.

 

 

The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $5.85 per hour effective July 24, 2007; $6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008; and $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek.

 

http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/flsa/

[pilon]

I worry about the same things, which is why I've pretty much eliminated anything not covered by NAFTA or countries we've nuked (there is tone in them there rads, baby!).. Canada, Mexico, America, Japan.. Everything else, I'll pass, unless I simply can't get the product from a country I want to tolerate (Line 6, you listening?).. That's my opinion.. Some people might disagree, but I really don't care.

 

must not buy much these days. ... btw we nuked japan.

[RaVenCAD]

btw we nuked japan.

 

My God, are you people THAT dense? I said, I only want to buy from countries covered under NAFTA (that's the North American Free Trade Agreement, which basically lets all our American jobs go North and South of the border, but at least they're decent countries..) or countries we've nuked.. We've only nuked Japan, so obviously I meant JAPAN.. Jeez, read a {censored}in history book..

[9-Pin-Phoenix]

The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $5.85 per hour effective July 24, 2007; $6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008; and $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek. http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/flsa/

 

Unless the state laws are more generous to the employee, in which case the state law is enforced. For example, California where employees are paid OT for any hours over 8 in a day and are mandated two paid break periods (subject to additional regulation).

[foppy]

 

My God, are you people THAT dense? I said, I only want to buy from countries covered under NAFTA (that's the North American Free Trade Agreement, which basically lets all our American jobs go North and South of the border, but at least they're decent countries..) or countries we've nuked.. We've only nuked Japan, so obviously I meant JAPAN.. Jeez, read a {censored}in history book..

 

 

Oh. The syntax was a little ambiguous.

[Highway_61]

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[Highway_61]

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[Highway_61]

Taylor Guitars:

 

 

 

pJmyW0MXG7M

 

etc.

[cavpilot]

Gretsch factory Japan (the most sweatshop-like of all)

 

Daewon factory

 

Ibanez?

 

American sweatshop (j/k)