Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) were on the list of tech companies, who have made an agreement not to poach each others’ workers.
The Verge posted a gallery of emails which proves that a non-poaching agreement has been made my many big companies including Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:ADBE), Bell Canada, EFI, EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC), New Toronto Group, Softchoice Corporation (TSE:SO), SAP AG (NYSE:SAP), Syncrocrest, and more.
Two years ago, a civil lawsuit made by five individuals against Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and a few other companies. They allegedly that the companies had non-poaching agreements, which keeps wages down. Just yesterday, it was revealed that when Edward Colligan (former chief executive officer for Palm) received a phone call from the late Steve Jobs back in 2007. That was when Jobs suggested a non-poaching agreement between both companies. Colligan then elaborated that it would be illegal. He also reminded Jobs that if his company didn’t agree, they might face patent lawsuits from the Cupertino-based company. Later on, Jobs also contacted Eric Schmidt (chief executive officer for Google) and asked him not to recruit employees from the iPod group. Shortly after that, Schmidt received another message from a Google senior strategy analyst who told him that a recruiter was to be fired after attempting to hire an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) employee. Google’s CEO balked, “I would prefer that Omid do it verbally since I don’t want to create a paper trail over which we can be sued later? Not sure about this.”
There were even more emails that traveled through the Silicon Valley paper trail.
Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), hinted at an agreement with Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), but added that there was nothing signed.
Judge Lucy Koh is currently trying to decide whether or not a class action lawsuit can be made and if it could possibly lead to something bigger.