Staffers from The Washington Post (WaPo) reacted negatively to the media giant’s announcement it had begun laying off employees Tuesday amid a decline in revenue.
WaPo cut 20 positions and will not fill 30 vacancies, according to the outlet. Publisher Fred Ryan told staff in December he anticipated a “single digit percentage” of employees would be cut during eventual layoffs.
Economic columnist and editorial board member at the outlet, Heather Long, called it a “tough day” for the company.
“This is a tough day for WaPo as the company lays off 20 staff and plans to leave dozens of vacancies unfilled,” Long tweeted. “While the layoffs are less extensive than initially feared, it is incredibly tough for each family and team impacted.”
This is a tough day for WaPo as the company lays off 20 staff and plans to leave dozens of vacancies unfilled.
While the layoffs are less extensive than initially feared, it is incredibly tough for each family and team impacted. https://t.co/8GMU5ThBk5
— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) January 24, 2023
Copy editor at WaPo, Vanessa H. Larson, said she was “absolutely furious” about the layoffs.
Absolutely furious about layoffs at The Washington Post, but proud to be a member of @PostGuild, which is supporting our affected colleagues #unionstrong https://t.co/3AUJCP811y
— Vanessa H. Larson (@vanessahlarson) January 24, 2023
Katie Mettler, a reporter and co-chair of The Washington Post Guild, said the layoffs were “wrong and unnecessary and did not need to happen.” (RELATED: REPORT: Investors Say Jeff Bezos Might Sell WaPo To Buy The Washington Commanders)
“I’m sad and mad and so disappointed in this institution that I care about so deeply. We’re better than this.”
The Washington Post has started laying off my friends and colleagues. It’s wrong and unnecessary and did not need to happen. I’m sad and mad and so disappointed in this institution that I care about so deeply. We’re better than this.
— Katie Mettler (@kemettler) January 24, 2023
The company announced in November it would lay off 10 employees as it closed its stand-alone weekly Sunday magazine.