Years ago I covered some of a mammoth strike at Goldcorp in Ontario.
At a shareholders meeting in Toronto several of the shaeholders begged the company to settle because people were being ruined, losing their homes and all their savings.
Goldcorp management ignored their own shareholders and refused.
After nearly four years on the picket line, a majority of the roughly 100 workers agreed to end their dispute with Goldcorp Inc. by resigning from the mine in Balmertown.

Whether in radio / media / communications, or elsewhere... If they're allowed - no, rewarded - for pulling off cuts etc, and ultimately hurting people's lives, as well as the product, who should get the blame?

Saul wrote:

Whether in radio / media / communications, or elsewhere... If they're allowed - no, rewarded - for pulling off cuts etc, and ultimately hurting people's lives, as well as the product, who should get the blame?

Ourselves, because we put up with it in our society.

Layoffs are always painful, and most on here have lived through at least one in their career.  Regardless how one feels about Bell, Rogers, Corus, Telus, Loblaws, Royal Bank or any other conglomerate, these companies are the backbone of the economy.  They are a vital investment for thousands of people and for many pension funds across the country.  When they do better, so do millions of people. 

As was alluded above, this is the free enterprise system that we have.  Not always great and not always totally fair but name another that is better, more successful or stable.  If Bell or any other conglomerate over steps or loses the backing of the public or shareholders, they either change, sell out or go out of business.  It looks like Bell executives have some things to answer for to shareholders and the public.

When companies like Bell or Rogers have layoffs, they also always continue to hire. Not necessarily replacing those who were let go but often in other areas of the company that are showing growth potential.  Unfortunately because of the unregulated internet and new media the potential for growth hasn't been in the media divisions for a while for heritage media companies here and elsewhere. 

I think we all know that some big changes are coming in the media landscape and some will be good and others not so much.  A few major players could go dark or drastically downsize in the not distant future.