Bandcamp’s union, Bandcamp United, has called on Songtradr to recognise its existence and demands after the music distribution company recently acquired Bandcamp from Epic Games.
The union, represented by The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), issued a letter to Songtradr CEO Paul Wiltshire asking for recognition, and has also called on the new parent company to provide all staff with employment offers and issue voluntary severance offers to those who may not want to remain at Bandcamp. The union had previously been bargaining with Epic Games in a bid for its demands to be recognised.
Songtradr has issued a public statement in response to Bandcamp United, reading: "We have received Bandcamp United’s letter and are reviewing it. Supporting the Bandcamp community will be our number one priority once the purchase is completed.
"Songtradr doesn’t own or control Bandcamp yet. We’re in the process of acquiring Bandcamp from Epic Games, and we expect the transaction to close within the next few weeks. Epic has committed to running Bandcamp Friday as planned and will ensure Bandcamp can continue to operate and support artists through this transition.
"Not all Bandcamp employees will receive offers from Songtradr. Based on its current financials, Bandcamp requires some adjustments to ensure a sustainable and healthy company that can serve its community of artists and fans long into the future. Those that don’t receive offers within the next few weeks will receive severance from Epic as part of their layoffs as communicated on September 28th.
"We will work towards a fair and equitable outcome for the global members of the Bandcamp team. Songtradr is planning to keep all the existing Bandcamp services that fans and artists love, including Bandcamp Fridays, Bandcamp Daily and its artist-first revenue share."
It was revealed last month that Epic Games was selling Bandcamp to Songtradr just 18 months after acquiring it. The sale came against a backdrop of layoffs, which saw Epic confirm that it was cutting its workforce by 16 percent.
