This trend shouldn't surprise us. In another example of mizerism (i.e. capitalism gone evil, or at least amoral), companies have been getting rid of employees who have stayed loyal to them over the years while giving incentives to new hires. This is considered a "best business" type of practice, yet it seems that only the slimiest of businesses lead the forefront in these sorts of tactics.
We recently switched from our insurance company with whom we had stayed for nearly eight years. Over that time, they kept raising their rates on us. Like the frog in the frying pan analogy, we didn't make any move for years. By the time we did, we found that they were charging us nearly a thousand dollars more a year than another agency. I can't help but wonder how much more we would have been punished for our loyalty next year.