D.I.Y.

Help Guitar Center Workers Earn A Living Wage

image from media.nj.comGuitar Center workers, who say their hourly wage and commission structure has been slashed since investment firm Bain Capital took over he company several years ago have take the first steps to organize a union.  An online petition of support has been launched and artists and industry figures Tom Morello, Steve Earle, Ted Leo and Sergio Vega have already signed on.

Get Involved:

Petition Statement
We work at Guitar Center stores throughout
New York City, and we love music and our jobs. But since Bain Capital
bought the company, our commissions have been cut, and many of us barely
make more than minimum wage or receive paid sick days or vacations.
That's why we've united for better conditions, and we need your help.

 

Share on:

13 Comments

  1. Basic economics dictate that higher wages for Guitar Center employees mean higher prices for customers. Not that musicians should shop at Guitar Center anyway…

  2. GC has the worst product knowledge and customer service in the free world. Not sure if that is the 17 year old pro audio ‘experts’ fault, or GC for not training their kids properly???

  3. all i know is that those vulture capitalists at bain will suck every dime they can out of guitar center’s workers, as they do with every company they suck dry.

  4. We need to create a more efficient way to use a an online interactive setup for all current employees. I would propose as Similar concept to that of what Sam Walton did with the establishment of wal-mart Making all employees a share holder and cut over head cost to price a product . WITH REDUCTION TO OVERHEAD! AND affordable and with process you now establish the company exclusivity to current proof of employment . The fact of matter is many of these chain outsits are hanging on by a thread. Here is whole new way to do business. Beleive me. People who produce the instruments will embrace this concept. Itis been published in Wall Street publications the projections of Box stores folding up sho. So why not set your own living wage. Frig the petition Why not just take charge as a TEAM. piece of pie amongst your peers is honorable and save yourself the BS of unemployment. This plan would get you from the mercy of a big corporation who wont be around long anyway. One has be able to see this in day to day life. Thank You “WNC Musicians Alliance” FB

  5. GC is already going bankrupt. If they really are trying to unionize or demand higher pay they are just going to speed up the closing of guitar center stores. This is really dumb and shows how their employees don’t even know what is going on in their company.
    -A Former GC employee

  6. in stead of gaining wages, they will most likely lose their employment. GC sucks as far as products go and they are the musical equivalent of fast food. But it is a job, no? If they push the union thing, there will be no profit and they will close their doors. That means 0 jobs.

  7. False. The price comes from (amount of labor + raw materials). From the amount or labor comes the wage and the profits. Increase the wage, decrease the rate of profit or vice versa. Value (which determines price through the effects of supply and demand, and other factors) is based upon labor, and wage is the cost for the ability to work, not the actual work performed. Every worker spends part of the work day replacing the cost of their wage, but most of the day working for zero compensation, for free.

  8. If they are going bankrupt, its not cause of wages, and wages/benefits being cut or increased won’t address the underlying issues. Successful unionization may even help by increasing the workers’ morale, pride, etc. Besides that, bankruptcy is not the same as going out of business, especially for larger corporations. One final note, how is it their company? The workers don’t own it, they don’t have any say over it, etc.

  9. I’m in complete solidarity with the workers of GC! I’m doing my part to support their struggle. Be sure to sign the petition, share it with everyone you can. In fact, go down to your local GC and make sure they know of what is going on, that they know where to find and sign the petition.

  10. Ive worked with GC for almost a decade. They don’t even pay time and a half on national holidays for non commissioned employees but make it mandatory to show up. I just found this out about our new CEO and want to puke :
    Pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Pratt will receive a base annual salary of $750,000, subject to increase by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) in its discretion. Mr. Pratt will be eligible to earn an annual incentive bonus at a target of 100% of his annual base salary, and a maximum bonus potential of 200% of base salary, based on performance criteria established by the Board for each fiscal year during his employment. Mr. Pratt will also receive a signing bonus of $100,000 and an inducement bonus of up to $296,500 to compensate him for recoupable incentive compensation for the completed 2012 fiscal year at his former employer. Mr. Pratt will receive no additional compensation for his service as a director of the Company.
    Under his employment agreement, Mr. Pratt is also entitled to equity compensation that will provide him with the opportunity to earn between $20-25 million based on a 2017 exit value

Comments are closed.