Not to forget that they will throw you out at the whim of a bean counter. It’s happened before and will do again.
In 35 years they retrenched pilots once - because of a worldwide pandemic. Lets not act like it is a daily event. Ask your american mates how many times they have been furloughed.
How many other airlines treated their staff this way?
I don't have numbers but I suspect that Emirates wasn't the only airline letting staff go.
Did they even approach the ones they let go to offer them their job back?
Yes
Their solution was to hire new cheaper pilots and promote FOs because its cheaper
Erm....no. F/O's that were on upgrade when the pandemic hit can look towards the end of the year for upgrade. The first external candidates are currently being interviewed with a prospective start date of October. Until then they are aggressively getting the redundant pilots back. Redundant pilots are returning on the same payscale they left on, so not a single cheaper pilot has been hired.(Caveat, I don't really know what is going on with the Boeing fleet - I talk for Airbus only).
By all means express your frustration with the company here, but try and stick to the facts.
Time to lose the concept of loyalty - there is no such thing. I work here for the money. If the money stops I will be on the first plane home(and the loyal ones can work for free). I don't expect them to show me any loyalty - I expect them to pay me my salary.