Let's not tolerate the use of "poached" either; it implies (in a "ha ha, only serious") way that people are property, and it's been a long time since there was any excuse for tolerating that idea. The proper words are "hired" or "recruited".

It also implies it's somehow wrong to offer an employee of another firm a better deal than they're currently getting.

Well-mannered firms don't do that sort of thing, you see. It drives the wages up.

But you see, competent engineers who work for below market salaries are an endangered species! As such, they deserve our full "protection".

Thus the word "poached" :-)