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Staff: Katelyn Pereira
Email: kpereira18@umassd.edu
Baldvin Oddsson, CEO of The Musician’s Club and its subsidiary, The Brass Club, has been criticized after a Reddit thread claimed he fired 99 employees for missing a meeting. On November 15, a new intern shared a post that described Oddsson’s choice as sudden and chaotic. Once the post went viral, moderators quickly removed it.
“I joined an internship, and an hour later, the entire team got fired,” the intern posted on social media after beginning an unpaid cybersecurity position.
They posted a screenshot of an Oddsson Slack message announcing the layoffs.
It stated, “For those of you who did not show up to the meeting this morning, consider this your official notice: you’re all fired.” Oddsson instructed the absent workers to “get the fuck out of [his] business” and accused them of breaking their contracts.
Anonymous sources from The Brass Club claimed the meeting was announced on short notice, confusing employees. Oddsson allegedly gave an ultimatum early that morning, threatening to fire anyone who didn’t attend. “It sent long-time workers into a frenzy,” said one source.
Slack messages from the aftermath revealed employees’ frustration, with one manager stating, “The main issue [with the company] is our CEO…That’s not gonna change.”
The intern said they left after witnessing the chaos. “There’s no way I’m going to put work into this potential headache of a company,” they wrote on Reddit, describing the startup as heavily reliant on remote interns.
In a statement, Oddsson defended his decision, claiming the backlash had actually boosted the company.
“Attempts to ‘cancel’ me have backfired,” he wrote, boasting record sales, a surge in website traffic, and hundreds of new job applications. “Firing those individuals was the right move for our organization, and we are stronger than ever,” he stated.
Former workers have criticized The Musician’s Club for poor communication and disorganized leadership. One source claimed, “Some of us weren’t even aware the meeting was happening.”
Many employees reportedly felt blindsided by the terminations and frustrated by a lack of accountability within the startup. Employee advocates questioned the legality of firing so many workers without proper notice, while others warned the decision could harm the company’s long-term reputation.
Oddsson’s reliance on freelancers and interns has also drawn scrutiny. Critics argue that startups like The Musician’s Club often exploit precarious labor arrangements, leaving workers vulnerable to sudden changes and insufficient protections.
The incident has sparked polarized reactions online. Supporters of Oddsson’s decision praised his decisive leadership, arguing he acted in the company’s best interest. Detractors, however, accused him of fostering a toxic work culture. “This isn’t leadership; it’s recklessness,” one Reddit user wrote.
The controversy highlights broader tensions in the modern startup ecosystem, where rapid growth often comes at the expense of worker rights. While Oddsson’s company has gained significant attention, questions remain about the sustainability of its practices and the ethics of its leadership.