[tn13]

This is really pathetic. I can understand companies being ruthless in maximizing their profits but this sort of move is seriously counter productive. If the wages are not competitive it also means less incentive for bright youngsters to get into these professions. If this kind of agreements become more common, I think that will be like we killing our future.

[sergiosgc]

Companies do not, usually, plan decades ahead. They manage the next quarter and plan the next three years. Youngsters entering or not a professional area is something that takes 20 years to produce a measurable effect.

Government, is the one that should do the multi decade planning.

[smsm42]

Except it never does. All those decade-long budgets and long-term plans are a sham that survives in the best case until next 2 year election, but more commonly till the next budget skirmish that happens once a couple of months. Specific people can have long-term agenda but government as a whole is incapable of that.

[tn13]

"I am from government and I am here to help" you can only shudder at those words irrespective of the context.

I will be surprised to see if Google or its investors do not care about their long term future. I will be less surprised to see someone like Obama planning only for re-elections and short term popularity ratings.

[hga]

Well, it was one way of getting around California's unique non-competes are unenforceable law.

I believe that more than anything else, that's responsible for the Bay Area's long term technological ecosystem success.

[twic]

Even with the suppressive effect of this collusion, wages remain more than high enough to make this industry an attractive option.