Mastodawn

Jenniferplusplus Feb 5, 2023

We have layoffs for exactly the same reason we have homelessness. Both are expensive, harmful, and unnecessary. Both are sustained anyway because capitalism requires that work is compulsory. Both exist to be used as a threat to compel work and deference from workers.

So, I don't know. Keep writing papers and articles about the real effects of layoffs, I guess. But please understand that you'll never convince boards and CEOs to stop doing them, because the harm of layoffs is the desired outcome. So make your audience the people who've been taken in by their lies, and the people who should be protecting us from them.

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Luke MacNeil Feb 5, 2023

@jenniferplusplus If you're hired by a company to do a job are you then entitled to work for that employer for decades until you decide you're ready to move on?

Would it be better if they just fire everyone randomly with no severance?

Many of these layoffs with their sizable severance packages don't really seem to be the humanitarian disaster they're made out to be in my eyes.

Would it be fair that you can quit at any time for any reason, but they can't ever quit you?

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Jennifer Moore 😷Feb 5, 2023

@luke

Why choose those two rather extreme alternatives which probably almost no-one would agree with?

Why not consider "If you're hired by a company which can very well afford to keep on hiring you, the default ought to be that they do". Does that scenario not feature in your thinking?

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Luke MacNeil

@unchartedworlds Those that I know affected by the Silicon Valley layoffs are leaving with 6 months salary - well over 6 figures.

On top of that, all of their RSUs are immediately vested - and when all that money is gone, they're still eligible for unemployment assistance.

I really don't understand what else could be expected.

We have the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years right now. It's not exactly forcing people out on the streets to starve with no options.

Seems reasonable to me.