[chaostheory]

For the large companies, it was probably due to pensions. When you take into account ever increasing lifespans and the number of people nearing eligibility for pensions at that time, it was a no brainer for finance and management. A lot of people didn't get fired. Instead they were transferred to one of the big consulting firms like Accenture and they ended up working for the same pay but much less benefits as contractor to their former employer. Some of those affected were smart enough to sue their former employers but I would guess that most did not.