Re:Bay Area Tech Boss Announces Layoffs in 'Next Phase of Gr...
by blacksmith_tb on Monday November 06, 2023 @05:30PM
(#38170025)
I think that's the reasonable moral response, yes. But even in business terms, having been a 'survivor' in a couple of offices that went through large rounds of layoffs, it's universally grim as processes that weren't documented stagger to a halt, people with the muscle memory to fix problems are no longer around, etc. All the while the the top brass congratulate themselves on the cost savings.
Re:Bay Area Tech Boss Announces Layoffs in 'Next Phase of Gr...
by sastaha on Monday November 06, 2023 @05:45PM
(#38170219)
"I think the culture in the United States of, cut costs aggressively by firing people, is really shitty when everything in our lives from healthcare to food to housing is utterly dependent on our jobs. If this were not the case, I would be on board with the completely callous way of running a business, but the reality is that we rely on our jobs to give us basic services that are funded publicly in other countries."
In all European countries people are responsible for paying for food, and they pay a lot more for food than Americans do thanks to EU protectionism. Apart from a few parts of Europe like Vienna, public housing is the preserve of the low-income, not too different from America's Section 8 housing program. A computer programmer would not qualify for subsidized housing. Most housing is purchased in the big bad free market. Europe does have a universal healthcare system, but other than that the vision of Europe held by left-wing Americans is a utopian fantasy.
We need new laws too guarantee a basic standard of living. Until we have that, there ought to be laws that make firing people, especially without cause, far more difficult. If you anticipate needing to cut costs, either don't hire so many people in thy first place or cut pay.