laying people off is just a way of cutting corners im afraid,,, it happens with the older people as they are closer to retirement and generally have less things to buy also so are not as hard done by as they make out ( ever wondered why granny was loaded yet mummy and daddy had to struggle and worked 65 hours a week )

in order to keep others in work you HAVE to trim the fat,,,, most companys use it as a way to loose the dead wood and also people who get the sick pay and get more old school benifits ect

thats business,,,, not recession im afraid