emcfarlane

This is the ultimate first world problem. How were you being robbed? Someone holding a gun against your head stealing all your time? Or did you agree to a salary and are now so upset you could have been paid more. These companies make billions. They could afford to give everyone a raise. Why would they if you accept a lower salary? Why would a company try to pay you as much as possible for your work. Get over yourself.

Illegally colluding. The only reason they hire people is to make money. If they think paying more for employees will raise salaries all round and cause them to loose profit, they won't do it. It was cost benefit analysis.

Why have any difference between police and civilians? There seems to be so much abuse of power as people stand by powerless. Why the difference?

> obviously these companies were not competiting hiring engineers... ... They are competing for engineers! Why would they make these agreements? To benefit the company. Benefit/cost analysis.

Thanks, just to clarify I'm against unions as they come with a large political power which I think is undeserved.

My statement merely aims to say that I don't think there is anything currently wrong. These companies make billions. They could easily afford to pay larger salaries. Why should they if people will work for less? Why isn't everyone's salary like Eric Schmidt?

Employees have to think of themselves as an asset with their employer aiming to minimize costs. Salaries are a negotiation with risk involved. It is a free market, with many competing companies aiming to reduce costs. Does a free market mean all companies can't communicate? The companies are still free to hire whoever they want. People are still free to work for whoever they want.

Thanks for the book suggestion, please feel free to quote more books without debating my comments.

This is the free market. People choose what they think they are worth. If you don't think Google is paying you enough, quit. Deals with companies to avoid poaching have a cost themselves. This doesn't need more government interaction this needs people to value their work, to think.