I’m not sure where you get that they’re hurting for labor

It’s been the trend since 2021 that fewer people are willing to accept jobs that pay ridiculously little or otherwise abuse workers.

THAT’S the kind of labor they’re hurting for: the kind who are so desperate/stupid/timid/more than one of the above that they’ll put up with literally anything.

companies have mostly been laying people off or outright firing them

Which is often a mistake that leads to long term lack of labor in exchange for short term share dividends.

Firing people doesn’t necessary mean that those people aren’t needed. In the case of the kinds of companies you’re talking about, it more often means that the company is run by greedy and shortsighted idiots.

to downsize in favor of AI and automated replacements

Which is the most idiotic of it all, since the technology and systems to do so effectively don’t even EXIST yet! No matter how much Silicon Valley pushes it as the miraculous solution that will make all workers superfluous, it can’t actually do that. At least not yet, and hopefully not in our lifetimes.

while the CEOs pat themselves on the back with fatter pay raises for themselves

Yup!

Do tell me fellow lemming, what companies are actually hiring these days?

Many are TRYING to hire while offering pay and terms that nobody in their right mind would accept, except if forced by the consequences of oppressive laws such as this one