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Apple Allegedly Sought Non-Poaching Deal With Palm

Posted by kdawson on from the hands-off-or-at-least-palms-off dept.

theodp writes "A Bloomberg report that Apple CEO Steve Jobs proposed a possibly illegal truce with Palm against poaching their respective employees is sure to pique the interest of the US Department of Justice, which already is investigating whether Google, Yahoo, Apple, Genentech and other tech companies conspired to keep others from stealing their top talent. 'Your proposal that we agree that neither company will hire the other's employees, regardless of the individual's desires, is not only wrong, it is likely illegal,' former Palm CEO Ed Colligan reportedly told Jobs in August 2007." The article notes that Apple was probably reacting to Palm's hiring of Jon Rubenstein, who had been instrumental in developing the iPod and went on to spearhead the Pre for Palm (and has now become Palm's chairman and CEO). "It's the story about the importance of charismatic engineers," said veteran Silicon Valley forecaster Paul Saffo. "People don't work for Palm. They work for Jon Rubinstein. One has to wonder how Steve Jobs ever let Jon Rubinstein leave."

6 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. At Apple, employees just work by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple wasn't looking to screw over their employees. They merely wished to make the Apple employment experience more simple and elegant. With other employers, employees must make complicated and confusing decisions about raises and other job opportunities, resolve conflicts between competing employers, etc. At Apple, it's a simple "You work here" interface.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:At Apple, employees just work by Em+Emalb · · Score: 5, Funny

      ah yes, the infamous iWork program. I've heard good and bad things about this program.

      Last I read, iWork is not compatible with iLife, unless you're running the iWork is iLife RC2.

      I have not updated to that level of iLife, thankfully.

      --
      Sent from your iPad.
  2. Peace, Love and Anti-Competitive Behavior by furytrader · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indirectly eliminating your vocational opportunities by working at Apple: that's not a bug in your employment contract, it's a feature.

  3. Apparently the reply was - by musefrog · · Score: 5, Funny

    Jobs: "If a CEO does it, it's not illegal."

    1. Re:Apparently the reply was - by somersault · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't think "illegal". Think "legally different".

      --
      which is totally what she said
    2. Re:Apparently the reply was - by Nihixul · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's merely iLegal.