There was no doubt that they would have to layoff staff. The biggest problem I have with it is the underhanded disgusting manner of doing so. I can only speak for the way I have seen it done to the pilots, but to get rid of people based on surgery that cured a problem, or because someone was pregnant, is not the way to do things. These are costs that the company could have easily avoided by not going down the self insurance route, whilst yet again trying to save money. Getting rid of these people doesn't even solve an issue, do they honestly think that the remaining staff will not have issues at some stage? This is a cost of business if you choose to self insure. Greater and avoidable costs are avoided by looking at experience, performance, issues etc etc.
Marching senior staff into a building to just be handed a brown envelope whilst management just vanish into thin air. Three months and nothing from any management at all, not a word, hiding cowardly in their corners like the ‘three wise monkeys’. Recently in a pilots newsletter the briefest of an acknowledgement that they have screwed up thousands of lives is all they can do! Disgusting, underhand and totally mishandled.
Getting rid of fit and healthy staff with demonstrated loyalty and ability, whilst ignoring issues that we all know many others have had and are yet still employed is ridiculous.
Knowing the cost of everything but the value of nothing seems to be a common failing not only with Emirates but with most airlines in the Middle East.