Part-time employees who worked at Astroworld last month were allegedly asked to sign a revised contract after the event. This seemingly sought to release promoters Live Nation and Scoremore from any liabilities in regards to those staff members in the wake of the fatal crowd surge that occurred during the festival in Houston, Texas.
Ten people died and hundreds more were injured as a result of the crowd surge during Travis Scott’s headline set at the festival he founded. Scott, Live Nation and Scoremore now face hundreds of lawsuits, from the families of those who died, as well as many other festival-goers, with the damages sought running into the billions.
According to Rolling Stone, ten days after the Astroworld tragedy part-time employees who had worked at the festival received an email asking them to sign an amended contract in order for their wages to be processed. They were told that an agreement they’d already signed ahead of the event had terms meant for the 2018 edition of the festival.
In an email seen by Rolling Stone, a manager wrote: “Hoping to wrap up payroll and get everyone paid ASAP but I still need a few things from some of you! The first agreement included details from 2018. It has been updated so if you can re-sign and send back”.
Among other things, the revised contract allegedly stated: “(Employee) assumes full responsibility for any injuries or damages that may occur to the (employee) in, on or about the festival and its premises and fully and forever releases and discharges the released parties from any and all claims, demands, damages, rights of action or causes of action resulting from or arising out of the (employee’s) attending and or providing services at the festival”.
Another new term said that the signatory was “not covered nor eligible for any employee benefits or insurance coverage provided by the released parties including but not limited to medical, property and liability insurance and workers compensation benefits”.
The staff member who shared the email and revised contract with Rolling Stone told the magazine: “They essentially said, ‘You need to sign this new form in order to get paid’. It was clear they wanted legal coverage. I definitely thought they were thinking of business first. ‘How can we cover ourselves?’ I know they weren’t thinking about us and how we were feeling, in my opinion. Nobody reached out to me individually to inquire how I was. It was just the paperwork”.
Live Nation and Scoremore are yet to comment on the allegations.
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