On a Sunday in January, representatives from Cort Guitar Company and Cor-tek, along with labor rights advocates from Korea and the United States, convened with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation at the Hilton Hotel in Anaheim. This meeting brought to the forefront ongoing concerns regarding labor practices at Cort, a significant guitar manufacturer, particularly in its relationship with industry giant Fender.
Cort Guitars is a major OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), and a substantial portion of their production is dedicated to Fender. While the precise percentage remains undisclosed, Cort workers estimate that Fender orders could constitute as much as half of Cort’s total output. For guitar enthusiasts, understanding the manufacturing origins can be insightful; as indicated on Fender’s website, a ‘C’ serial number prefix can signify a Korean-made Fender, often produced by Cort. Similarly, Wikipedia’s page on Squier guitars notes Cort as a manufacturer for Fender’s subsidiary brand, Squier.
As previously reported, Fender representatives claimed unfamiliarity with the Cort workers’ situation prior to this meeting. However, they committed to launching an investigation into the allegations. Adding weight to the workers’ cause, prominent musicians like Tom Morello, and even Fender’s own endorsed artist, Wayne Kramer of MC5, voiced their support to Fender on behalf of the Cort workers.
Wayne Kramer, performing in support of Cort workers’ rights at the NAMM Show, with Cort worker Bang Jongoon.
The meeting served as a crucial platform for the workers to articulate the realities of Cort’s alleged unlawful mass layoffs and the relocation of their factories to China and Indonesia. They also clearly outlined their expectations for a transparent and equitable investigation by Fender into Cort’s labor practices.
Mr. Bang, a Cort union officer with over two decades of service at the company, emphasized a particularly contentious issue: Cort Guitar Company’s alleged denial of worker’s compensation to employees with officially recognized work-related injuries. The Cort and Cor-tek workers presented documentation at the meeting pertaining to approximately thirty workers classified as victims of industrial accidents or injuries, seeking rightful compensation.
In response, Fender’s public relations and legal representatives pledged to conduct an impartial and independent investigation. This investigation would incorporate testimonies and documents from all involved parties, including third-party sources, and promised to keep the workers informed about the investigation’s progress. For the Cort workers and their advocates, a genuinely fair process necessitates consistent union representation and active participation, moving beyond a private dialogue solely between Cort and Fender.
When Fender’s representatives inquired about the workers’ desired outcome, the response was consistent with their ongoing struggle: the workers seek the reopening of Cort factories in Korea, reinstatement to their positions, and Cort’s recognition of their right to collective bargaining.
However, the workers’ request for Fender to suspend new orders with Cort pending the investigation’s conclusion – viewed as integral to a fair process – did not receive a firm commitment from Fender. While Fender representatives stated they would consider this request, this hesitation allows Cort’s operations to continue uninterrupted.
A significant revelation from the meeting was that while Fender maintains an internal Code of Conduct, it doesn’t mandate adherence to this code by its international manufacturing partners like Cort. This absence of enforceable worker safeguards in the complex and demanding guitar production industry highlights a concerning disparity. The protections afforded to American workers in Fender’s US-based factories are not consistently extended to Korean workers, who have contributed to Fender guitar production for decades, nor, potentially, to workers in China and Indonesia currently involved in manufacturing. The treatment experienced by Korean workers at Cort raises concerns about the potential conditions faced by workers in Cort’s factories in other countries.
The situation brings to mind the narrative of Abigail Ybarra, a long-term Fender employee since 1956, featured in a video highlighting dedicated guitar industry workers. Her decades-long commitment underscores the desire of many in guitar manufacturing for stable, long-term employment. Why should this be different for workers at Cort Guitar Company, many of whom have dedicated similar lengths of service?
The video concludes with a statement that is both widely assumed and not entirely accurate: “Fender guitars, made in America.” This highlights the often-overlooked global supply chains in the music industry.
The question arises: how could Fender, or other American guitar companies, be unaware of these issues?
Adding to the complexity, during the NAMM Show, a representative from a German musical instrument manufacturer, who had contracted with Cort in the 1980s, approached the Cort workers’ supporters. This industry insider recounted his experiences as a product manager visiting Cort factories multiple times annually in the 1980s. He expressed his dismay at the working conditions he witnessed – inadequate respiratory masks and insufficient ventilation for workers. He described the Cort factory of that era as a “hellish” environment. It is noteworthy that the 1980s were also the period when many prominent American guitar companies began relying on Cort for their more affordable guitar lines.
While this German industry veteran could not comment on current conditions at Cort, he expressed skepticism that companies could genuinely claim ignorance of working conditions at Cort. He asserted that product managers would typically conduct factory visits frequently to oversee production and ensure quality control.
Perhaps the issue lies in the nature of quality control checks. Concerns such as extended working hours, denial of worker’s compensation, coerced resignations, and workplace harassment might not be readily apparent during standard business partner visits. As Jack Westheimer previously noted, Cort factories might be superficially described as “state of the art.” However, crucial aspects like the provision of adequate protective equipment or fair treatment regarding workstation assignments might fall outside typical quality control checklists.
As the German manufacturer stated, “It is different now. Now we have to pay attention to these conditions, the environment, everything.” However, a more pertinent perspective is that attention to these fundamental worker rights and ethical manufacturing practices should have been prioritized from the outset.
Fender’s motto is “Make History.” To truly embody this motto, Fender has an opportunity to lead by example and make history within the guitar industry. Implementing a Code of Conduct that genuinely guarantees basic worker protections for all workers throughout their supply chain, both domestically and internationally, would be a significant step.
For music lovers, Fender enthusiasts, and advocates for worker rights, urging Fender to ensure justice for Cort workers remains crucial.
