And there are lots of engineers for whom working remotely would increase their salary, however it decreased the cost for their employees. If anything, I'd say that (on a global scale) economic incentives are firmly on the side of solving the remote working problem rather then perpetuating it.

I don't disagree with the grandparent: there are people who would do it, but I think for engineers right now the incentives are aligned against it.

And I agree with you, for employers it's definitely in their interests, they just need to get over the inertia of "bums in seats means work is getting done".

How about a 50% salary cut for a marginal improvement? Just curious at what point you care more about your own well being versus the well being of others.

It would actually be the opposite effect. If I found a way to cut developer costs in half I would become fabulously wealthy, not poor.

Why wouldn't someone want to both become rich by putting devs out of a job and making the world better?

Maybe due to misplaced loyalty, and so as to screw over the rest of society To Help a small rich group?