Actually, no. C.F. Martin is not unionized.
Fender isn't unionized.
Taylor Guitars isn't unionized.
Collings isn't unionized (and - gasp! - it's in a right-to-work state!).
The U.S. guitar industry isn't unionized.
The 'fact' that Gibson's the non-union shop in a sea of unionized guitar manufacturers is just like the 'fact' that Sarah Palin "said' she could see Russia from her window or backyard. Neither is true no matter how many times it's repeated.
What is true is that Gibson was a union shop in Kalamazoo. Production was moved in stages to Nashville from 1974 to 1984. It was owned by Norlin at the time.
Hmmm...I had just heard snips of the guitar story in the last week or so, but did not know the background as you explained it. Thanks once again for taking the time to educate me (and a few other Freepers, I would guess).