Nechville 6

In late 2023 and early 2024, the six banjo builders at Nechville Musical Products began meeting with each other to discuss their wages and working conditions and decided unanimously to work toward forming a union with the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters which is their right under federal labor law. In the beginning of January 2024, the banjo builders met with their employer and shop owner Tom Nechville to plan production and set goals for the coming year. These six workers were looking forward to another busy season of making banjos and other music products that are viewed as some of the best in the world by both professional and amateur musicians.

Later that month, these banjo builders respectfully requested recognition of their union to Tom Nechville. Taking pride in their work, the Nechville Six wanted the ability to negotiate some simple things, including: a modest healthcare plan, a few paid holidays, and some standard work protocols. Currently, these six workers do not receive paid time off, paid holidays or any health benefits.

While Tom acknowledged their request for union recognition, his actions demonstrated a lack of good faith. Following their request, Tom announced the closing of the Bloomington, MN shop moving his operations to Oregon. Surprised by this sudden move, the Nechville Six are now losing their jobs, despite the planning meetings they had just a week prior to unionizing.

“The meeting before we told him about the union was a meeting about the goals for 2024 and how to organize ordering so that the finances would be in line,” John Potts, who has worked for Nechville the last five years, told the Saint Paul Union Advocate. “Our goal for the year was going to be 180 banjos.”

In Tom’s original move announcement, the shop close date was going to be February 29, 2024. However, that quickly changed and the workers found themselves locked out of the shop on February 14. Potts showed up to turn his keys over to Tom and the locks had already been changed.

In a statement made to the Union Advocate, Tom said, “It’s not necessarily a lockout, but it is a situation I’m working on right now.” He refused further comment and then ended the call.

NCSRCC has filed charges of unfair labor practices against Tom with likely more to come. Threats to close a facility or lay off workers if they form a union are considered retaliation under federal labor law. Tom voluntarily recognized the union and has since illegally refused to bargain since he announced his plan to relocate. Rather than listen to his employees’ desire for a voice, Tom’s closure announcement is essentially firing the Nechville Six.

These workers need your help to keep the shop open and work to support their own livelihoods. Call or email Tom Nechville and tell him to do right by the workers - keep the shop open and negotiate a union contract.

Read the Saint Paul Union Advocate story on the Nechville 6 >>