My daughter works for Sony. Here's what actually happened with Sony.
http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/12/09/sony-cut-8,000-jobs%3B-5%25-total-workforce
Sony to Cut 8,000 Jobs; 5% of Total Workforce

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 9, 2008 - 10:55am.
Tokyo - Sony (NYSE: SNE) announced on Tuesday that it will cut 8,000 jobs, or about 5% of its global electronics workforce, as part of a plan to reduce costs by $1.1 billion annually amid the economic downturn, the Associated Press reported. The company will also cut an additional 8,000 seasonal and part-time employees; reduce spending on semiconductors and other investments; cease production at various plants; and further outsource production to lower-cost areas.

"These initiatives are in response to the sudden and rapid changes in the global economic environment," the company said in a statement.

Sony last made a major round of layoffs in 2005, when current CEO Howard Stringer took over and cut some 10,000

Some of these "layoffs" are part time employee or seasonal. Hard to get a true number of full time equivalent jobs lost.
None the less, the situation is bad globally....