In March 2022, indie-music platform Bandcamp was purchased by Epic Games, the corporate behind Fortnite. Last month, members of Bandcamp’s US editorial, design, engineering, and help employees organized with the Office And Professional Employees International Union to kind a union: Bandcamp United. “The music and tech industries are at a juncture, and it’s time that we as workers have a seat at the table to weigh in on the challenges and opportunities of this moment,” they write on their official web site. Now, Topshelf Records (dwelling to Knifeplay, Ratboys, Parannoul, and They Are Gutting A Body Of Water, amongst others) has revealed that Bandcamp administration requested them to not help Bandcamp Union.
According to a press release from the document label’s Twitter account, Topshelf was “petitioned to cease supporting [Bandcamp United],” which they declined to do. “[W]e fully support @bandcampunited and want to see the platform that espouses to champion independent music do so equally for their staff,” Topshelf writes, including: “Bandcamp is now a 3rd social gathering platform owned by a billion greenback tech firm who see them as a content material farm for Fortnite and leverage of their ongoing case towards Apple more-so than the colourful music group that it’s and has been for 10+ years.
“To be clear,” Topshelf continues, “we fully support @bandcampunited and want to see the platform that espouses to champion independent music do so equally for their staff. let them vote immediately.” (Since its formation, Bandcamp United claimed the corporate had engaged in union-busting, delayed the official election, and employed Foley & Lardner LLP, a gaggle which focuses on “counsel on union avoidance considerations.”)
“Bandcamp is a music company,” Topshelf concludes. “It is the defacto marketplace for independent music. but it is a third party platform bought by a multi-billion dollar tech corporation which is showing why we as a music community should be critical and why its staff should be diligent… it is possible to love a thing and be critical of it and hold it to the highest standard. a unionized workforce keeps the integrity of Bandcamp, the music company intact within the context of Epic, the tech company. a @bandcampunited Bandcamp is a better @Bandcamp for all of us.”
Deerhoof have been equally important of administration’s union-busting. “Rather than come out in support, or acknowledge their employees’ legal rights, the top brass chose instead to hire this famous union-busting legal firm right out of the gate,” the band tweeted on April 4, pointing to the aforementioned regulation agency.
“Send a message to ethan@bandcamp.com to let management know if you are confused or disappointed in what appears to be an effort to deprive their employees of their legal right to vote and to organize, and follow @bandcampunited for updates,” Deerhoof wrote of their thread.