Apple, Google, Intel, Pixar, Adobe and Lucas Film were investigated by the US DoJ for fixing salaries and violating antitrust laws. According to the complaint:

[Defendants] entered into at least three agreements to eliminate competition between them for skilled labor. First, each agreed no to cold call each others’ employees. Second, each agreed to notify the other company when making an offer to an employee of the other company, if that employee applied for a job notwithstanding the absence of cold calling. Third, each agreed that if either made an offer to such an employee of the other company neither company would counter offer above the initial offer. This third agreement was created with the intent and effect of eliminating “bidding wars.”

Skilled labor – I like the term. Personally, I don’t really know if this kind of practice is good or bad. And I also don’t like the idea of making a developer or manager a superstar costing millions. It’s part of promoting the American Dream, but in the end we are paying for these salaries…

Apple, Google, Adobe sued for allegedly fixing salaries TechRepublic.