

“Laid off” has always been a euphemism for “fired.”
Not in communities where seasonal labour is a significant part of the local economy. There, ‘laid off’ often comes with the implicit “temporary” modifier, while ‘fired’ does not. And while tech work is not usually seasonal employment, if you grew up in an area where seasonal employment is common, the distinction kind of stick with you.
It would, absolutely, but it still means a whole lot.
It’s a recognition by a slick, seasoned, career politician in the highest office in his country that the winds are shifting with respect to the labour movement.
Don’t think of this as Biden expressing any deeply held belief. Don’t think of anything he does in those terms. The Democrats in general, and Biden especially, are a mirror that reflects something meaningful about the socio-political environment. Just as Trump and the Republicans are.
He and his team believe that something in that environment has shifted, and that labour is poised to be ok the winning side of that shift.