Something Rotten in the Valley of Silicon: A Skeptical Engineer

[rdean]

In short, several Silicon Valley giants, including Apple, Adobe, Google, Intel, Intuit, Lucas Film, and Pixar, were accused of conspiring to keep down wages for tech workers. The companies agreed to a no-poaching agreement in which no company would try to lure employees away from other companies with better compensation or better positions. Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO who was practically canonized after his premature death, seems to have been the ringleader.

It’s always been a given that if you didn’t like your job, either because of low wages, long hours, or whatever, you could quit and get a new one. Or if someone approaches you with a job offer that really excites you, you can take it, making sure to give your current employer the traditional two-week notice or whatever is contractually required. So what these companies did – keeping workers trapped in lower paying positions and unable to find their true value in an open marketplace, and doing it in secrecy – is rotten. And unfair. And un-American. And if they get socked for $9 billion, so be it.

Something Rotten in the Valley of Silicon | A Skeptical Engineer

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Now this is the most hilarious part of all. The same story is posted on "Breitbart".

Judge Indicates Apple Conspired to Defraud Billions from Tech Workers

Read what people say below the article. Seems these are Republicans who are on the side of (gasp!), the workers. How can that be? It's because Republicans see hi tech companies as "liberal". To many educated and skilled. Not the "right kind" of people.

 

[deltex1]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[rdean]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I know, I know.
Corporations are people who can do no wrong.

 

[whitehall]

"Their true value"? Is that some sort of socialist theory or wishful thinking? The "true value" of tech workers is determined by their employers....so far. Maybe they should unionize so that Silicon Valley becomes Detroit.

 

[rdean]

"Their true value"? Is that some sort of socialist theory or wishful thinking? The "true value" of tech workers is determined by their employers....so far. Maybe they should unionize so that Silicon Valley becomes Detroit.

Which is why Republicans think employers should also make decisions when it comes to woman's health care. Oh those Republicans. So smart and yet so stupid.

 

[ScarletRage]

The true value of labor or a product is only it's true value if both sides have equal negotiating power.

If I am an asshole and know you need something to live, I can charge you your entire bank account. If I do that to two people with wildly different bank accounts, it becomes clear the value is not reflected by the price I charge.

Here, we have at least implied the reverse. Three or four employers keeping wages artificially low. People need jobs to live a priductive life. Accepting a job when an oligopoly dictates the price does not mean that is the value of your services.

Unions formed to counter that oligopoly.

As for the implication that unions destroyed the country, the answer to that is a resounding no. As union membership has declined, so has the wealth of most of the citizenry. Without that purchasing power, citzens cannot buy goods.

Instead of protecting jobs, the US has a virtual no tariff policy. That sends the jobs out of the country.

If we taxed imports to where it would be cheaper for US companies to build/think things here, we would not have a good job shortage.