Just thought I'd point out that everything I've read about Valve says that people who are a cultural fit are the most important thing.

Can't hire a machinist?

Well, what exactly would they do there? What if they decide to go and write games instead? Do they have to hire another machinist then?

There's lots of talk of social cliques, and maybe they didn't handle the dismissal process right, but if she was trying to create a hierarchical hardware department (where say, a machinist is required to stay in that role), that's the end for her, or Valve stops being Valve.