The Washington Post on Wednesday announced a devastating number of layoffs to journalists and other workers, decimating one of the most important newsrooms in the country. Management is targeting more than 300 workers in their layoffs, including illegally attempting to lay off tech workers who are in the process of bargaining a first contract.
Ahead of this morning’s announcement, Post journalists worked late into the night to finish their stories before being locked out of company systems. Post management shuttered the sports and books sections and also shrunk foreign and local coverage.
“A newsroom cannot be hollowed out without consequences for its credibility, its reach and its future,” said The Post Guild in a statement Wednesday morning.
Guild members at the Post are planning a rally at 12 p.m. Thursday in front of the Post’s downtown Washington, D.C. offices.
“In just the last three years, The Post’s workforce has shrunk by roughly 400 people. Continuing to eliminate workers only stands to weaken the newspaper, drive away readers and undercut The Post’s mission: to hold power to account without fear or favor and provide critical information for communities across the region, country and world.”
“The Post Guild vehemently opposes any more staff reductions. Now is the time to stand in solidarity with our laid-off colleagues and with those who remain, who will now be asked to do more with less. There is still time to save The Post. On top of the thousands of letters readers have already sent to the company’s leadership, all of them staunchly disapproving of these cuts, we expect many people at our #SaveThePost rally on Thursday at noon.”
“If Jeff Bezos is no longer willing to invest in the mission that has defined this paper for generations and serve the millions who depend on Post journalism, then The Post deserves a steward that will.”
Billionaire Jeff Bezos purchased the Post in 2013. Bezos also controls Amazon, which recently spent $35 million to promote a film about First Lady Melania Trump. Amazon’s production company then purchased the rights to “Melania” for $40 million.
“It’s disgusting that one of the richest men in the world is more invested in purchasing favor with the president of the United States than in investing in journalists who are the watchdogs of democracy,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “Bezos’ actions should alarm every American who cares about their rights in our country.”
“Management has framed these decisions as unavoidable, but they are the result of choices,” said Dan Gabor, president of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild. “Choosing to cut staff instead of recommitting to the people who produce The Post’s journalism is a failure of leadership and vision. A newspaper cannot claim to stand for accountability while repeatedly sacrificing the workers who uphold that principle.”
Please support workers at The Post by taking action with the #SaveThePost Toolkit and share it with others and donate to the GoFundMe for laid off workers at The Post.