[mrastro]

If Google did this, it would 100% be framed as "Google offers demotions to dozens of employees" because salary is adjusted based on the cost of living in the area. So it's still bad press not to mention the employees have to uproot their lives to move if they were to accept (move countries, get legal permission to work there etc.).

[pylua]

It’s only bad press in the us. There’s not a way to have good press here from a U.S. perspective. Its positive news for the other countries.

[coldtea]

>If Google did this, it would 100% be framed as "Google offers demotions to dozens of employees"

Which is what they did, even if they didn't offer it. They demoted those positions - and gave a clear signal they don't care for those projects.