Songtradr hints at Bandcamp layoffs after recent acquisition
“Not all Bandcamp employees will receive offers from Songtradr,” a statement reads.
Credit: Guillaume Payen/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Songtradr has released a statement addressing the potential layoffs that may follow its acquisition of music marketplace Bandcamp.
In response to a press release from Bandcamp’s union, Bandcamp United, the statement clarifies that Songtradr “does not own or control Bandcamp yet”, and that the acquisition will be finalised in the coming weeks.
As for current workers at the company, Songtradr states: “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.”
Songytradr’s acquisition of Bandcamp comes less than 18 months after Epic Games – the video game giant behind Fortnite – bought the company for an undisclosed sum.
In March, a number of Bandcamp staff, under the name of Bandcamp United, unionised in a push for fairer wages and greater transparency from its leadership.
Workers described the move as “critical to our ability to do our best work and make good on the promise and mission of Bandcamp to provide fair economic conditions, direct support, and transparency for ourselves and all of our users”.
Bandcamp’s CEO Ethan Diamond later responded, saying, “following the NLRB’s process and timeline. Bandcamp will respect the election outcome and if a union forms, we will negotiate in good faith.”
We are calling on @songtradr to meet our demands so that we can continue to do our work and preserve Bandcamp’s mission:
* Employment offers for ALL workers
* Voluntary severance offers
* Immediate union recognition & continuation of bargaining👉https://t.co/JetUB1PN1d pic.twitter.com/9wWw2o6VPc
— Bandcamp United (@bandcampunited) October 4, 2023
