Bandcamp's union, Bandcamp United, is demanding fair treatment from its new parent company, Songtradr.
According to press materials sent to Resident Advisor, the organisation—with representation from The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)—has asked Songtrader CEO Paul Wiltshire for recognition.
Bandcamp United is seeking employment offers for all members, voluntary severance offers and the continuance of the bargaining process that they began at Epic Games. According to the press release, Songrtadr has only offered positions with a 72-hour turnaround for acceptance although previous documents stated they would have seven days for consideration.
After seeing this article, Songtradr sent a statement to Resident Advisor. Here it is in full 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.
On September 28th, Epic Games announced it was selling Bandcamp to Songtradr, only 18 months after the gaming giant had acquired the music retailer. Bandcamp United alleges that since the news broke, Epic Games management has revoked the access of "critical systems" to Bandcamp workers, deterring them from completing their work.
Bandcamp United formed in March. Two months later, Bandcamp voted in favour of the union, allowing the organisation to gain certification. We'll report more on this story as it unfolds.
Photo: Bandcamp United
Update, October 6th: This article was updated to include a statement from Songtradr.