11.   As a result, companies often fired workers after a year or two to avoid higher severance payments.

12.   Apparel manufacturers in China and elsewhere have fired workers trying to organize unions.

13.   Apple Computer, as expected, said it would fire more workers, and will disclose a final number of job cuts by the end of the month.

14.   As a result companies have started firing workers, and analysts are worried social agitation could gather pace.

15.   Asahi Bank, Fuji Bank and others are shrinking their loan portfolios, firing workers and shutting branches.

16.   At profitable Delta Air Lines, so many workers were fired last year that service complaints have soared.

17.   Big technology companies like Nortel Networks and Dell Computer have fired workers and told investors to expect lower earnings for much of this year.

18.   Brazilian utilities fired workers and cut costs to prepare companies for sale during the past two years.

19.   - Sometimes the most compassionate thing an executive can do is to fire a worker.

20.   A third worker was fired for not reporting the incident.