It’s like I could have written this:

When I was struggling, I suspected that my failure was due to lack of funds. I’d transcended my blue-collar roots, I thought: I’d been to university; I didn’t work, as my mother might say, “with my hands.” And I blamed myself. I told myself I wasn’t trying hard enough, that I was too impatient. I saw this in my failure to pound out essays after long days at work, and in my weird, jagged career trajectory. I wondered if I was too lazy, too restless to succeed, not cut out for the kind of heels-dug-in effort that creative careers require.

YES.  

I suddenly remember something I wrote over two years ago. It hasn’t gotten significantly better since and I am far from alone.

UPDATE #2 8-8-12 Crain’s has a story on this. They cite an unnamed source who says 6 full-time people (from an alleged work force of 60) have been laid off.

UPDATE 8-8-12: A Journatic Editorial Director who could not give their name has claimed that all independent contractors have not been let go. It is impossible to substantiate this claim as I assume I would get the same response that Poynter did.  

UPDATE 8-6-12: All independent contractors have been let go as well. An independent contractor was anyone who was not working full-time.

August 5, 2012

Journatic has laid off a number of full-time employees this weekend according to one of the employees let go.**

Exactly how many people have been cut remains uncertain. The reason given was that the workload has decreased significantly and the company is restructuring. It’s unclear if this is due to the Tribune suspension, the end of the GateHouse contract, other clients who have severed ties to the company or all of the above.

The news was delivered by Jeremy Pafford who the former Journatic employee had never met or spoken with previously. His email signature reportedly identifies him as a Production Manager. According to his LinkedIn page, he has been working for Journatic for three months.

After relaying the news, Pafford said that people being let go may be hired back if more clients come on board.

Previously, employees were told that despite the fact that clients were leaving Journatic, everyone’s job was safe.

DEVELOPING….

**The employee declined to give his name before speaking with Journatic human resources.