People are being removed from their livelihood.

Equivocating about what YOU comfortably would prefer to call it is wasted effort that I don't care to engage in.

I think the point is simply that "firing" indicates wrongdoing or lack of performance by the workers, whereas "layoffs" indicates the company unilaterally decided to remove them. It may sound nitpicky, but it is pertinent to your point that people are losing their livelihood through no fault of their own.

well it matters for your livelihood. if you get "fired' you won't be eligible for unemployment compensation or cobra. if you get laid off, you get unemployment comp. not to mention the negative stigma of being "fired". it's a big difference.