They can buy back all the shares they want.
In the end it’s growth and sales that matter.
As the talent pool and the workforce SHRINK, raises and better paying jobs will come, or are already coming.
“As the talent pool and the workforce SHRINK, raises and better paying jobs will come, or are already coming.”
You’re trying to explain a dynamic system to people that view everything through a static lens (mainly for political purposes ... they’re smart enough to know better) :-).
Raises will come with supply and demand. It just has not gotten competitive enough yet.
If anyone has a retirement account of any kind at all they had better own stock and should be very happy if shares are bought back or dividends increase. Especially if there are not enough good places to invest the profits.