> If a company feels an employee is not being productive, they should be allowed to let them go.

That's not what layoffs are. In fact, your belief is not productive. Why are you waiting for layoffs to get rid of people who are not being productive? Why are you supporting people being unproductive?

> You need a way to get rid of dead wood, otherwise you would be too afraid to grow and hire when you need to.

That's not what's happening. Generally it's a result of leadership failing to do their job, misusing resources, and needing to compensate for that in the market.

Layoffs are signals that the leadership is not being productive. Full stop.